Among the Water Weeds
by OooodlesOfNooodles
Summary: Throughout the years, Killua has jumped from one job to the next, stumped on being a contract hunter with no clear direction in life. Until he embarks on a mission that takes him straight to the Kukan'yu Islands. Just as the water weeds sway and dance in the embrace of the ocean year round; they bring him someone who can show him all sides of life, beautiful and ugly.
1. Chapter 1: Set Sail x for x Kukan'yu

**Disclaimer: Hello, I do not own hunterxhunter, I am simply an obsessed, I mean, enthusiast fan who loves the series. HunterXHunter belongs to the manga artist Togashi Yoshihiro. Please support the official release (despite it being on constant hiatus... T.T ) Several characters that appear in my fanfiction rightfully belong to said mangaartist, but my OC's rightfully belong to me.**

 **The story takes place in the fictional land of "Kukan'yu." It is labeled on the HunterXHunter map. Next to the Kukan'yu Kingdom is a small chain of islands. The islands were never labeled, and I don't even think the main characters have been to Kukan'yu before. So I decided to name them the "Kukan'yu Islands," and made up their history and culture too. Killua is much older in my fanfic, way past the events that are happening in the current phase of the manga, so I'm making up his future.**

 **The timing in the beginning part of the story will stay consecutive, but then the time/years will jump around a lot later on.**

 **Please enjoy my fanfic :D**

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Hair was sticking to his forehead.

Killua Zoldyck was currently lying down in a small, cramped motel room that absolutely had no ventilation what so ever. There is no air conditioner. There are no air vents, but there is a window. He wearily glanced at the window, only to frown in dismay. Directly across from their room was a 'public waste department,' but in layman's terms, a garbage dump. The air inside, no matter how suffocating, was cleaner than the outside. The air was hot and humid, taking in one breath was a labor in itself.

To make matters worse, he had to share a room with two other strangers that he absolutely couldn't stand. Both were hunters, of course, they didn't exactly give off an air of sophistication. One stereotype about the world of hunters, is that they are the epitome of intelligence and elegance, the best of society. They go on adventures, discover cures for deadly diseases, they are the cream of the crop of society. The bravest of all that are attracted to the allure of adventure, hear the call to challenge and they wholeheartedly march straight towards it.

That's according to the outside world, to normal civilians.

The two men that Killua had to room with were qualified for the mission to say the least. If anything at all. The only kind word that he could think of. He got reprimanded by his superior for complaining about them, suggesting for a room change. He was told off, saying to simply deal with it, and this trip was no vacation, and it was a dangerous mission. He had to get used to it.

So he did the only thing he could do, stump off angrily and curse under his breathe. Later, he indiscreetly threw a bag full of rotten gunk graciously supplied by the 'public waste department' into his boss's room, via the open window. His room was located on the other side of the building, away from the dump. Killua hated him even more.

He looked back to his roommates, one was ironing his socks over and over again. They were almost to the point of going up in combustion. He could see fragments of vapor rising and then dissipating in the air. Another reason for the unbearable humidity in the room. While the other kept going to the bathroom only to flush the toilet 10 times. One thing the Hunter Association purposely neglects to inform anyone is that some hunters are just plain weird. The man came out of the bathroom, finished flushing.

"Question, does that just make you feel good or does it stem from a deep inferiority complex?" Killua said while rolling the wrist of his free hand. The man nervously mumbled, and fidgeted in place, trying to utter a sound as a response to the impudent young man, only to wallow in defeat by going back to the bathroom. No doubt to flush the toilet 10 times.

Flush

Killua's eyebrow twitched, positive that an artery just burst in his brain.

There were times like these that he wished he could be with his friends, rather than these dolts. He fondly remembered the time him, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio…..and Tonpa…. were confined in a room for a grueling amount of time that almost cost them the hunter exam in trick tower. Honestly, it was fun. That's when he taught Gon how to skateboard and Gon taught him how to cast out a line on a fishing rod. He was able to catch a fairly used pair of pants, still occupied by the owner. Leorio wasn't impressed with Killua's new found skill.

He laid up in bed, crisscrossing his legs into a pretzel. He stretched his arms up in the air and yawned out loud. The sock ironer turned towards him and glared, "do you mind?"

He needs to talk to someone fast, someone he can actually stand. Someone whose neck he doesn't want to ring. He forced out a diplomatic response, "Sorry," then added, "thought maybe you needed a hand?"

The man just stared back at him.

"Never mind."

When the man finally walked out of the bathroom, Killua immediately grabbed his laptop out of his backpack. He rushed in there, opened the door and locked it behind him. He put the toilet seat down and sat on it, opening his laptop. He hoped a connection would be able to go through. The Wi-Fi sucks here. He clicked on the chat App and scrolled down the list of users that were online. The green indicated those online, while red indicated that they were offline.

The one he was looking for, beamed bright green.

"Thank God."

He clicked on the user and the screen blew it up to the other users. The screen was slightly blurry, but he could visibly see that their smiles were plastered on the screen. He couldn't help smiling back. "Oni-chan!" one shouted, "Killua!" said the other.

Killua plugged in his earbuds into the laptop, so no one else could listen to their conversation.

"Gon, Alluka, you don't know how happy I am to see you guys, hurry, talk about something, I don't care, anything, I can't take much more of this," he grumbled and rubbed his forehead.

"oh oh oh! Look, I got a new pair of socks, aren't they cool?!" Gon pulled up his knees to reveal hunter style socks with giant X's on them. Gon was oozing with excitement, while Killua's eyelids twitched. He was tempted to flush his sanity down the toilet.

Gon, not seeing the same excitement reflected in his friend from his marvelous treasure, asked, "Did you have a bad day or something?"

"Remember about those baboons I told you about earlier?"

Gon started laughing.

"Ugh, it's getting more unbearable, I can't much more of this. Why did I sign on for this job?"

"Because you're broke," said Gon.

"And the Chairman recruited you for it," chimed Alluka.

"Not helping," said Killua. "I can't help that I'm amazing. Tell me more about your exciting job, you guys are living it up. I even saw the broadcast on the news, congratulations. And yes, there is television here." Killua said, looking more miserable than happy. The broadcast that Killua is referring to, is the discovery and official unveiling of the Cayenne ruins. Gon is at the head of the project, along with Alluka. Gon was interviewed on national television, he tensed up during all of the questions. It was adorable how Alluka had to step in and answer the questions along with Gon. They stood so close together, their hands were brushing against each other. He calmed down after that.

"By the way Gon, you made a stunning impression of a stone statue."

"I wasn't that bad," Gon said while nervousness trickled down his forehead.

"You were great," Alluka nudged Gon's shoulder.

The two, according to Killua, have a fling.

Gon and Alluka are both archeological hunters, while Killua, at the age of 21, is a contact hunter. Performing miscellaneous tasks whenever.

"When you're finished with your job, visit us, it's really a site to witness," said Gon. The cayenne ruins were made thousands of years ago, despite the age, the buildings were definitely made with tools other than sledges and hammers that were currently used at the time. Other than the architecture, there are hieroglyphs within the temples. There is evidence to suggest that from these symbols, the cayennes came from the Dark Continent, and left detailed descriptions on how to safely navigate through that deadly world. These 'messages' are still being analyzed and studied by paleograph hunters.

Alluka turned the screen towards her, "Is everything okay where you are Killua? Here in Saherta, we receive news everyday about the problems in Kukan'yu. It's getting more dangerous day by day. You should leave." She looked very concerned for her brother, and she has the right to be. Kukan'yu kingdom has been going through violent uprisings by rebel groups. It was even worse in the Kukan'yu Islands, located directly east of the kingdom. Only recently were they allowed to join the mainland, together as one nation.

Killua scowled, he knew the real reason for the conglomerate of the two lands. One of the big wig politicians used a finely crafted speech made by his board of advisors to ruse the public, to aide our allies to better humanity and to make a safer world. That was one crafted line he remembered from that overly practiced speech. The real reason, mostly, is that the Islands have a high concentration of unrefined petroleum oil. It would be easier to get rid of the rebel groups in order to set up petroleum plants and successfully obtain the oil. Building the plants are expensive, and even more so to repair.

"So far so good," he said. The job that Killua, his roommates and the motel full of hunters was to guide refugees to the mainland. The circumstances and daily life of the civilians were in constant jeopardy. That's what Killua has been doing for the past couple of months since he's been stationed here in the Islands, it was to save lives. Something that at the tender age of 12, finely trained in the craft of assassination, never imaged that he would be doing for a living. The rebel groups were indiscreet and attacked at erratic times. Killua was the head of his group, him and the other hunters bring in row boats to the harbors at night. Only a few at a time, to remain unnoticed.

"I mean, I'd complain, but no one will listen," he teased. He was dedicated to his job, but there was something else in him that felt empty, and it annoyed him that he couldn't pinpoint what it was. That or it could have been the yellow mold slowly creeping its way up the bathroom sink. Killua frowned again. Gon panicked.

"Here! Look at my socks again," Gon brought up his knees to the screen, hoping to ease the tension.

"He doesn't want to see those. Oni-chan, take a look at this," Alluka said excitedly.

Killua blew a long whistle in response to seeing Alluka showing off her silver ring studded with rainbow crystals, on her left hand.

Killua leaned in closer to the screen, pretending to be a connoisseur and inspecting the ring in front of him. He also dramatically curved his pretend mustache.

"Oi, Gon, I don't see an 8 carat diamond, don't go cheap on my sister."

Gon blushed, "Alluka and I picked it out together, I think it looks great on her, but we can always pick out something else," he turned to Alluka.

"BLEH! Gon, don't listen to him, I think it's wonderful." She leaned into him and kissed him on the cheek.

There was a knock on the door, "Hurry up in there." Even a turn of the knob.

"Go away," Killua retorted.

"But I have to go now."

Killua sucked in a forced breath. "Give me five minutes, FIVE MINUTES."

"Fine, but I got to go."

Killua turned back to the screen, "There is a possibility that I'll be having one less roommate by tomorrow morning. Any ideas how to prevent me from doing that?"

"You're almost done with your job, be a big boy and wait it out," Gon smiled.

"Alluka, how are you feeling, has Nanika come out lately?" asked Killua.

"No, she hasn't."

Killua nodded. As much as he wanted his roommate to magically disappear, he was constantly concerned for Alluka. Nanika hasn't woken in years. She hasn't made any outrageous requests either. He didn't understand why, but it left Alluka alone from the ruthless eyes of the rest of the Zoldycks. He loved both entities of his sister, but he was relieved at the same time. She was safe.

Gon had his arm around Alluka.

"Well, goodnight, I'll just leave you two alone to do" he whirled his hand in circles towards them, "whatever that is."

"You've got a whole night ahead of you, good luck," said Alluka, with worried eyes.

Seeing the distress in his sister's face made him feel uneasy. He'd hate making her worry. He straightened his back and smirked, "just another road trip, it's nothing to worry about. Goodnight."

Alluka and Gon waved goodbye as he clicked off and exited the chat.

He closed his laptop, rolled up his earbuds and stuffed them in his pocket. He unlocked the bathroom door, as he walked out, holding his laptop in one hand, his roommate bumped into his shoulder on the way in.

"Your welcome," mumbled Killua.

The man turned around and said, "Does it make you feel good or does it stem from an inferiority complex?" Then he slammed the door shut. Killua shrugged off the somewhat of a comeback, and walked back to his bed.

The sock ironer turned to him and said, "You're not used to making friends are you?"

"I'm a social butterfly."

"Right."

Killua flopped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, no longer wanting to talk.

"Give the guy a break, it's going to be another grueling night tonight."

He wasn't the only one that Killua wanted to _break._

He put down his ironer and looked at the clock. "It's almost time to go." His hands were slightly trembling, Killua noticed for a slight second, until the man went back to clutching the ironer.

Killua glanced at the clock.

"So it is."

He swung his legs out of bed and prepared for what Alluka had said was a 'whole night' ahead of him. But it was always more than that.

…..

The boat tussled in the waves, heaving back and forth. Waves crashed against the sides of the boat, coated with barnacles and chipping paint, from living in the water for too long.

Killua stood up at the helm of the boat, undisturbed by the rocking of the waves. He looked down towards the water. It was gray, devoid of color.

As each stroke was made by the oars, clumps of water weeds grabbed on to them. Clenched on, swept away from their watery home. The men were annoyed by this inconvenience, some rolled their eyes and others grunted.

Killua turned a dark glare at them. He preferred if they internally grimaced, as long as they were quiet about it. He could care less.

They turned silent.

Killua was good at controlling, I mean, maintaining order in his group.

The men flicked off the lumps of weeds. The marine life in the Islands was abundant. Even their chief export, that's helped them economically prosper, was seafood. All the fishermen on the Islands were experts in their craft. They always seemed to know where the fish were. Somedays, they'd walk to the harbors, and stood there listening, then leave. Others asked why they left and didn't try fishing at all. In response, they said the fish weren't out that day. Those who had disbelief in their hearts, spent all day in their rickety boats, from morning to night, catching colds and empty nets. But when they DID go fishing, they'd come back with huge bounties, ready for a hundred kings dinners.

The row boat could hold at most twenty people. If he and his group were lucky tonight, they would be able to get half that number on their boat.

Killua had a wireless micro receiver in his ear, which he used to communicate with other hunters, in his region of the West Kukan'yu Islands.

Killua's hair was windblown, making it more untidy than usual. His white strands of silver threads were at shoulders length, but it didn't bother him.

It was 1:00 AM.

He looked at his comrades rowing the boat. The rough sounds from motored boats would only give away their location. Row boats were the best to use in the dead of night. He looked around his perimeter, and saw the thick, dense fog enveloping them.

Good, he thought.

It was a decent cover up. It seemed like tonight would actually be fruitful. They would be able to guide refugees to the mainland. Once they had enough people on their boats, they would row them to an even bigger ship that marks the border between the mainland and the islands. From there, all the refugees from that night are taken to the mainland. The mainland may not completely be a safe place either, but it is a haven compared what they had to deal with here every day. Constant explosions, threats, rebel soldiers showing up at door steps and destroying families.

Killua glared. He remembered the catastrophizes caused by the chimera ants, monsters. Then compared it to the downward spiral of events here, all human caused.

Killua received a comm in his earpiece, telling him to wait until the signal was given to proceed. They had to be as quiet as possible, if they showed any noticeable sign of sound, any rustle or thud or a small crash, they have to abandon the night. Killua had been doing this jobs for 3 months so far. Others around him, have been here longer.

His roommates have been here longer than he has too. He was starting to understand why they had their strange nuances of daily routines.

He noticed a faint light go off the shore. It flickered once, then paused, then flickered twice.

His group proceeded to the shore.

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 **Thank you for reading the first chapter!**

 **I definitely know the ending of the story ( which is safely tucked in my head) and hopefully I can finish the story this summer and not chicken out on it XD Reviews are appreciated XD**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2: A x Distant x Cry

**Disclaimer: I do not own hunter x hunter, oh woe is me.**

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When their row boat reached closer to the shore, close enough that the bottom was touching the sand bank. Killua slowly submerged himself in the water. The water was cool and it went up to his knees. Soaking his clothing.

There were other boats behind them, but they would be coming in right after them. The town ahead of him was quiet as life after a rain shower. He heard the squeaking of a rocking chair, pushed by the wind. Houses were made of brick stones and arches were curved, with explicit detail of myths and legends that were part of the Islander's culture. Killua didn't pay much attention to these design details, instead he looked at the sandy road and decrepit homes. The dirt road was empty, with only hollow footsteps and tracks of the midday travelers.

He listened.

He heard the heart beats of groups of people, huddled together underground. Him and the others, walked to their destinations and knocked on the wooden panels to cellars of houses. Cellars that protected them from the monstrous things that came out at night. Thin wooden panels can't give much protection, but it's where they were waiting, waiting to be saved. He was about to open a cellar panel, until he heard the crunch of a tree branch and the faint sound of footsteps outside.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a group of men. The first word that popped into his mind. Rebels. They were holding weapons, parading through the streets like mad men. Killua counted the numbers, 3…5….11. There were 11 men. He was capable of dealing with that many.

 _Easy,_ he thought.

The point was not to draw attention, no doubt there were other rebels on patrol tonight. If they saw Killua, other hunters, or if anything tipped them off; they would send signals, and the pack of them would come in droves. It was important to decrease the number of casualties as much as possible. The hunters had to change their locations several times. The rebels caught on to them, hoarding their way into the harbor towns, anywhere where a boat can dock, anywhere where water weeds grow. Anywhere, where people could escape.

Killua perched behind a stone house, in the shadows. Cascaded in darkness, the sensation was not foreign. Darkness was an old acquaintance of his, humbly welcoming Killua to wait in its shadows, allowing him to stalk his prey, then pounce. That's precisely what he did.

He bent down on the ground, his legs were soaked and now caked with mud.

A bird feeder was hovering over him, it was dry and empty. There hasn't been any visitors into that little home floating above the ground in a long time. Perhaps, they sensed the trouble of the world around them and decided it was not a safe place to raise a nest. So their wings took them to better places. That was what Killua, the guides, the hunters were to these people. They were the people's wings to get to a better place.

Killua pounced from the shadows and blue electricity flowed from his hands. Before the group of rebels had a chance to notice, they already laid ice cold on the ground. Their faces coated with dirt and sand. Darkness silently applauded his success, always a fan, always a firsthand witness to his cruel acts. It patiently waited for him to return to its embrace, its shadow cascading on him, as if giving him a pat on the back for a good job. Killua ignored its plea. He turned his back to the darkness and was now coated in the silver light of the moon.

It wasn't a sensation he was familiar with, he felt out of place, but it welcomed him with open arms.

He crept back towards the cellar panel, before the rebels came, and opened the portal. There was more darkness. Along with the darkness were so many eyes. Eyes of fathers, mothers, lovers, townsfolk, and children. They were silent and looked towards the silver haired man in front of them. A mother was cradling a toddler in her arms. It was fast asleep.

A man in the front row, with large square shoulders with years of work worn on his face, faced the young man. "Can you take all of us tonight?" he quietly said, still with a strong voice.

Killua nodded and held out his hand, "there's plenty of room. Follow me." Killua made sure that no one was left behind in the room, he made sure to take a thorough look, then went to the front and guided the group. The people hurriedly, but quietly followed him. When the man saw the display of frozen rebels on the ground, he turned to Killua and said, "How where you able to knock them all out?" Killua, paused, not wanting to go into details of their stillness. Not wanting to say that they were much more than knocked out.

"Do you really want to know?" Killua asked.

The man turned his head to the lifeless men and held his wife tighter in his arms, "No."

He escorted one group after another, one boat leaving and another baron one taking its place in the harbors. Tonight, was so far, very fruitful. They haven't been disturbed by any rebel attacks. The row boats were filled with people. There were no empty spaces.

Just when the last group filled up the row boat, a fiery red and white burst went off in his peripheral vision, followed by a loud thundering bang. A line of stone houses went off in a blaze. One hunter yelled, "They know we're here, it's time to go. If we leave now, we can hide in the fog."

Killua nodded to his roommate, the one that irons socks excessively. Killua pushed the boat from the shore line, pushing his way into the water, from his feet to his ankles, to his knees, it was all surrounding him. Killua was about to jump in the row boat and leave the island with the rest of the refugees, until he heard a faint sound coming from behind him.

He turned his head, looking back. No one was there, only more darkness and flames shooting up in the air, greedily gobbling up the oxygen. He halted his stance and didn't move. His roommate glared at him, "Get in the boat now." He was about to do just that, with one arm on the edge of the boat and with a swing of his leg, giving him momentum. He was going to jump into the boat, dismissing the sound.

He stalled again.

He heard the sound again! It was a cry.

Someone was left behind.

Killua turned around, walked away from the boat, and closer to the sound.

"Where are you going?! Get back here, we have to leave. Now."

"Don't you hear that? There is another person out there, I'll be right back." he looked at the refugees and all eyes were on him. He was stalling, he was preventing them from getting to the mainland. There was no time left.

"We won't be waiting for you," said the man with trembling hands. "Take one of the remaining boats that's left behind, there should be a couple of more left." The man's eyes averted Killua's and they rowed away. He was left alone at the shore, waves splashing against his legs.

He ran through the town. The sound was incredibly faint, it would stop than grow louder at times. Completely erratic. He ran through house after house, stopping, looking, searching, and found no one. Was there anyone left, did he just imagine the sound or hear the crying of a lost cat? No, it was definitely human. Someone was crying for help.

Killua scoffed, _Tell me where you are. Yell!_

As if in response to Killua's thoughts, the cry ascended, forcing his gaze on a house just further down from where he was standing.

He came to the house that was glazed with red, orange and yellow. Completely ablaze. That's when the heard the cry again, coming from inside the house.

 _Seriously!?_

Killua pulled his shirt over his mouth, to avoid inhaling the toxic, suffocating foams.

Heat was seeping through the walls, making his shirt stick to his skin.

The door was already dripped in fire. With one kick, it fell to the ground, dust and fumes perforating the air. The minute he stepped foot in the house, it felt like being baked in an oven. As if he was bread that was glazed with an egg coating, destined to be crisp with a honey golden crust. Maybe there was a custard inside? Killua would probably be chocolate. ANYWAY! He used his En to detect where the person was located. Second floor, in the left room. Killua jumped 3 steps at a time, avoiding the flames that were singeing his hair. Flames that wanted to tap him on the shoulder, head, and limbs. Dangerous by nature, painful to the touch. In the years training to be an assassin, a little flame didn't hurt him, but he could still feel the pain. It always came down to endurance, how long the body could withstand a harmful force. Intense training from the days of pursuing assassination, the days he wanted to desperately leave behind.

Although, in the back of his mind, these skills were very useful and came in handy in more than several occasions. Still, he detested his family, for doing all those horrible things to him, taking away his childhood, just for the stupid, insignificant reason of wanting him to take over the family business. Personally, he thought it was a bad career choice.

He entered the room, waxed in flames, and the cry became obvious to him. Immediately, he saw flames petting the sides of the little one, it screamed in pain. Killua swiftly moved and pulled the baby away from the ever growing flames. The flames burned through its shirt, burning the both sides of its ribcage. The baby was wailing. Killing ripped off a soaked patch of his clothing and laid it on the baby's blisters. Then he wrapped the infant with a small blanket that was only lightly singed.

This was first time he ever held an infant in his arms. Something so small and vulnerable. He knew that babies were small, but the realization sunk into his head. He was afraid that he might accidentally crush it.

…

It didn't take him that long to get back to the shore. There was one boat left and if he came just a moment too late, he would have missed it. He sighed in relief, for once, he was ecstatic to make it back to his cramp and humid motel room. What were the odds?!

He was ready to run.

He cradled the baby in his arms and ran to jump. From the moment he jumped into the boat, the baby started wailing. Loud cries and wet tears streaming down its plump face.

The boat didn't move and all eyes were on Killua and the baby he was holding. Everyone eyed the creature, looking at it as if it was a rusty nail on a smooth wooden floor.

Killua looked confused. Why weren't they moving?

"Row the damn boat already!" Killua said, while the baby continued to wail. Distant shouts from rebels were coming from the distance. They were coming closer, armed with weapons.

The rows man said, "Make that child stop crying, it will give our location away."

The baby continued to cry.

"Muffle its cry," said another.

The baby continued to cry.

"Drown it in the water!" angrily said another.

The baby continued to cry.

They all looked at the baby, ready to plunge it underwater with the water weeds. Killua was repulsed by their stares. He realized that he was putting everyone at risk, so he did the only thing he could do.

He jumped out of the row boat and let them row out of the harbor without him. He was left alone on the Island, with the distant shouts of monstrous rebels coming after him.

The baby finally stopped crying.

Killua raised an eyebrow, irritated. _Really? You chose now to stay quiet?_

As he saw the silhouette of the boat disappear, and the shadows of the men were hastily approaching. He held the little one in his arms, and ran towards the shadows in the darkness.

Darkness snickered, _welcome home_.

When Killua thrusted himself in its shadows, to hide, to run, to prey upon. It gave him a pat on the back. _I knew you couldn't stay away from me._

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 **YAY! Thank you for reading the second chapter! *high fives***

 **When I wrote this, I was listening to music and had a bad headache. I really shouldn't have been listening to music then...Anyway, I edited this chapter, but I am still uncertain of it and I might edit it later again, maybe. Reviews are appreciated :D**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3: Nurses x and x Roaches

**Chapter 3: Nurses x and x Roaches**

 _Godspeed_

Killua's entire body was encased in blue static like aura. His hair stuck up on all ends held up by positive and negative charges. He knew there were other boats circulating the islands, if he could make it fast enough to just one harbor town. He and the baby would be fine.

This ability allows Killua to increase his speed level by transcending the limits of his own body. He thought this was an impressive ability, it allowed him to take on opponents that he normally wouldn't stand a chance against. Sadly, not everyone agrees.

Just like Killua, the baby was encased in the blue static as well. Judging from the scrunching of its face and sobs heavily seeping from its eyes; Killua didn't need to have a PHD in early childhood development to know that it didn't like the blue sparks.

' _Bad idea bad idea!'_ Thought Killua. The blue sparks faded from Killua's body, returning to his normal state. Killua sighed, the baby was already in pain, and he made it slightly worse. He decided to briskly run, he was fast enough in his normal state to get to a harbor. Surely that would be enough. The minute he ran, the baby continued to cry. He tried to smoothen his steps, making them more connected, but to no avail. The baby continued to cry.

' _Another bad idea,'_ he thought. "How about I walk, how does that sound?" he asked the baby. It hiccupped in response.

"Walking it is then."

Bushels of weeds were brushing against his body as he was walking through the overgrown ecosystem. Hiding in the shadows of trees, vines, and nature. Far enough where Killua couldn't hear the belligerent voices behind him, he slowed down, and looked at his surroundings.

Truth be told, he had no idea where he was going. This was the fifth time he passed a small green tree that reminded him of Beans, the chairman's secretary. The way it had a circular like head and smooth bark of a navy blue suit. He knelt down next to the tree and used his communicator.

"Hey Beans, mind if I sit here?" he asked the tree. The tree didn't stir, Killua took it as a blatant 'no,' but he sat anyway. His communicator was a single strap around his neck, with a single earbud. He clicked a button, hopefully, another teammate was close enough to receive a connection. Static blurred over the line, constant buzzing in his ear.

A connection wouldn't go through.

Suddenly, a popping sound came through his ear bud, with a much muffled _hello_.

"This is Killua Zoldyck, part of the West Islands Dispatch Team." Killua licked his lips, realizing he was extremely thirsty. "Leader of the T-18 group, I got separated from my group, after a failed return to the boat. I need back up."

There was a pause on the other end, static filling up the empty spaces. The receiver responded, "This is dispatch leader, Kuff Lawrent, leader of the B-9 group. Where you are located?"

Killua looked around his surroundings, nothing recognizable stood out to him. Other than the Beans-like-tree, but that wouldn't help him. The baby hiccupped, Killua looked down, it was about to cry again. "Oh no, please don't start crying again," Killua pleaded. Maybe if he asked nicely, it would comply.

NOPE. It started sobbing and wailing.

"Excuse me? I barely know you." The receiver said, confused. Killua fumbled, which to attend to first, the crying infant or the dispatch leader he, hopefully, didn't insult. But he probably did.

"No, not you," he attended to the dispatch leader first.

"The T-18 group was situated in the West Kunkan'yu Islands, correct?"

"Yes, that's where I got separated from my group."

"My group was located in the East Islands, but there were too many attacks, we're attending to the wounded. If we were closer and not under these harsh conditions, I'd send a life boat to you, but you're going to have wait it out."

"What! How long? I have a bab-

"How many refugees do you have in your company?"

"1 refugee," he looked down at the infant, who was still sobbing, "It's a baby."

"How old?"

Killua looked at the infant, not sure how old it actually was. He raised an eyebrow. It was small, tiny, squishy, and a little longer than a foot. Wasn't saying it was a 'baby' enough? It also had a few strands of dark hair on its head, but not enough to cover its whole head.

"um…1 month…maybe 2 months?" More static interred the connection. "Hello?"

"Tonight is no good." Kuff said, "There won't be another deployment of boats for a while. But, someone will come to rescue you, head to the north region of the islands, where the trading port _Kalamati_ is located. We will notify you when there will be another rescue attempt made by a group of hunters. Got it?"

Killua silently nodded to himself, "Yes."

"Until then, find shelter and lay low. Dispatch leader Kuff Lawrent, signing off." Sound was cut off from his earbud. Killua strained his head up towards the canopy of leaves. Slithers of moonlight seeped in through the cracks of the leaves. Capturing the flow of mist, the humidity that was perpetually surrounding him. He was brought back into reality with a cry from the bundle he was holding in his arms.

"Uh okay, okay, don't cry." What are you supposed to do when a baby starts crying? Killua remembered when he was a young tot. He really didn't cry a lot, now that he thought of it. Well, when he did cry, no one came to console him. OH! He did remember the time, when he fell of the swing set in the backyard, and scraped his knee. He asked his mom to make him feel better and that earned him one week in solitary confinement….

Maybe he wasn't holding the baby right? He never saw his own mother cradle one of his siblings in her arms. He was the middle child out of five. There were always nannies and butlers to attend to the children is they needed anything. OH! Illumi did hold Killua once…but it was to drop him from a cliff, so he wouldn't be afraid of heights for future assassination jobs…

This is when Killua learned it was best not to rely on his own childhood experiences for childcare reference.

A lightbulb went off in Killua's head. What he was looking for was located in his back pocket on a loose chain. Other hunters told him that he was careless to leave his most invaluable and irreplaceable possession in such an obvious place. It was his hunter license. He grabbed it out of his pocket, and jingled it above the baby.

"Here, look, c'mon, look at this. Look." He jingled his license, giving it a light bounce after bounce in the air.

The little one eyed the license with curiosity, its tearing stopped and it slowly reached for the license. Its fingers cumbersomely fumbled around the edges, still uncertain of what it could be. Finally grabbing on to the license, pulling it towards its belly, and waving it.

Hunters are prone to having their licenses stolen. Killua was no exception, he's had people highjack trains, blimps, and even sneak into his hotel room. One robber even had the stupidity of trying to acquire the license in broad day light in a mall outlet. After failing miserably, Killua made sure the robber suffered from utter embarrassment as well. He hung the man upside down from a recreational build-a-bunny store, incredibly high up in a bunny suit. The man never acquired the license, but he did acquire a bunch of attention by the media. Someone even took a video of the man being rescued by the fire department, ' _Fire Department Rescues a grown man in a bunny suit suspended upside down in air!'_ It went viral.

Out of all the people to successfully take his license, he's never imagined it would be a 2 month old baby. It was currently sucking on the corners with a ton of drool, enjoying itself. Killua realized that he wouldn't be able to get back his most prized possession until the little one tires of it.

From looking at the baby, happily cooing, it would definitely take a while. A long while. Killua went to take back his license, his hand was not even an inch towards touching it, and the child knew the young man's intention. He was going to take away his new play toy! No absolutely not! The baby whined in retaliation.

"Fine, you can keep on holding it." Killua shrugged.

The baby cooed.

"Just remember to give it back, it's irreplaceable, like really, I can't get another one if you or I lose it."

That baby gnawed the corner, unaware of the repercussions for losing a chew toy.

"It's nice to see that one of us is enjoying ourselves. C'mon, lets go look for shelter," he said, mostly talking to himself. The moonlight was spilling all around them. A fragment of light bounced off from Killua's reflective license and got him right in the eye. Killua's eye twitched and he could have sworn that someone laughed. He looked down towards the baby, smiling with the license coated in drool. Killua sucked in a breath. "So that's how it goes."

Suddenly, the toilet flushing didn't bother him anymore. He was more than willing for a trade.

…

He was finally able to get back his hunter license when the tot fell asleep. All played out. Killua held the license with two fingers from a corner, it was all covered in drool. He swallowed back a barf.

Killua walked for most of the night, when it hit daybreak, when the sparks from the sun where climbing over the horizon. Almost on their tiptoes to see what the world has done in its absence, eager to know, to see, and to light up the world.

They stumbled upon a town, hopefully there was a hospital they could go to. Killua was concerned about the child's burn marks.

When they reached a building, with a sign that read _Emergency Center,_ and it looked like it had no more than 5 floors. It was old and decrepit. The window panes looked like they were about to fall off from their hinges. When he walked in, he didn't expect to see so many people, sleeping on chairs, sofas, and even the ground. He had to skillfully maneuver between the crowds of people laying on the floor. It was like a jigsaw puzzle, finding a nice empty space to step on.

He blew out a breath and finally made it to the front counter. No one as there. He waited a few minutes, but impatience got the best of him.

"Hello, is anybody here?"

No response.

"I'll file a complaint to customer service," he said, irritated.

No response.

He gave up on waiting at the front counter, he peered over the counter, seeing dead roaches laying on the table. He saw that there was a back door behind the counter, no doubt, there would be doctors and nurses behind there. He jumped over the counter and nonchalantly walked through the door. Indeed, revealing nurses and doctors attending wounded patients.

One nurse noticed him and glared, "Sir, this is for staff members and patients only, head back into the lobby." Killua, tired of being told what to do, said, "I do have a patient here. I was waiting at the front counter for so long, and nobody came."

The nurse looked at the child, "What's wrong?"

"He suffered from second degree burns," said Killua.

The nurse went to reach for the child, and gestured to Killua, "All uninjured personals must stay in the lobby," she paused, looking him in the eyes, "it's the rules." He stalled, not letting the woman grab hold of the child.

Suddenly Killua perched his head to the side. He was holding his neck and feigning pain. He spoke with a dazed look in his eyes, "uh…..A rebel knocked me hard over the head, and now everything is dizzy. Ma'am, can you please stop spinning? It's getting harder to breathe." He pretended to loose balance and place a hand on the wall for support. Breathing in shallow breaths.

She escorted them both to a room at the end of the hallway. As they passed, Killua saw dozens of injured civilians being tended to, whom had much worse than burns, blisters, and feigned dizziness.

"Please, sit down, another nurse will be with you shortly," said the nurse, who was a little skeptical of Killua's injuries. He was a healthy young man, who looked to be in perfect condition. He noticed her glares, so he swayed a bit in his sit, wincing. "I'm seeing stars, is that normal?"

She walked out of the room, blatantly ignoring him. She was a busy nurse, and had other patients to treat and take care off.

After several minutes of waiting, a heftier nurse came into the room, holding a tub of water. Her presence was immense and her aura spoke volumes. Killua gulped and the baby squirmed a bit in Killua's arms.

She placed the tub on the ground and gestured to them, "It's time to take a bath."

"No, I'm good thank you."

"I meant the babe."

"Yes, but I said no thank you the first time."

She eyed him angrily, not in the mood for early morning humor. She was ready to give Killua real injuries that would legitimately send him into the ER. Killua willingly handed her the baby. Then he looked at the murky water and raised his eyebrow in suspicion. The nurse caught his stare.

"Clean water is a rare commodity here, every drop of water is recycled."

"Clean water?" Then he glanced at the floor, revealing more dead roaches.

She grimaced at him again.

"Of course it is…."

The nurse unwrapped the baby, revealing its sweltering blisters and burns on the sides of his ribcage. She held the child underneath its arms, putting unnecessary pressure on its injuries. The baby screamed in pain, then she dunked in under the water, roughly cleaning him.

Killua stood up immediately, a surge of adrenaline coursed through his veins. Forget about feigning dizziness! Killua may have grown up in a house full of assassins, but this wasn't how to treat a baby. If he knew the nurse was going to wash the baby this way, he would have done it himself. It was like asking one of the zoldyck caretakers to do the job. The baby was crying between each dunk in the water. Killua walked up to the nurse, already reaching for the baby. He would take over.

"You can tend other patients, I'll wash him," he said angrily.

The nurse stopped him dead in his tracks, "only medical staff are allowed to take care of patients, sir, sit down and I'll tend to you once I'm done with him." That sentence made Killua shiver, what she would do to him, would be way worse than what she's doing to the baby.

"You're hurting him! It's so obvious!"

"Sir, don't tell me how to do my job." She dunked the baby under the water again.

"That water is incredibly dirty, he has blisters and burns. He needs clean water or he might get an infection."

She huffed, aggravated that he didn't knew the conditions the hospital had to work with. "Water is a scarce commodity, we can't just splurge it willy-nilly giving bath after bath. It's a waste of resources."

"What about these dead roaches?!" Killua said, picking up dead insects off the ground, miscellaneously and conspicuously covering the hospital grounds in just about every room.

"Sir, will you please calm down and let me do my job." She said angrily, rolling up her sleeves for the intensive purposes of not getting them wet from water. She leered at him, "You look like you are in a healthy condition to remain in the lobby."

"Oh, I assure you, that I am in inadequate state of affairs."

She finished washing the baby and tended to it wounds. She applied an antibiotic and aloe vera gel to its red blisters. While she bandaged them up, Killua peered over her, to make sure she didn't do any more harm than help. She glared back at him, and again he feigned dizziness.

"Now it's your turn," she turned to Killua, skeptical. He stood up, stretched, and flexed his arms.

"AH! It just so happens that I'm cured. That was a terrific rest, I feel so much better now! Thank you for the service, you and the rest of the medical staff did such a wonderful job." He picked up the baby, with a bounce in his step, ready to fly right out of there. She rolled her eyes and handed him extra bandages and gel to reapply to the baby's wounds.

He was about to walk out of the room, home free, until he stopped and did exactly what his body didn't want him to. He turned and walked back towards the hefty and belligerent nurse.

"What is it now, sir?" she said. The 'sir' came out forced.

"How old is this baby?" He asked with seriousness encasing his eyes. He held out the baby from his arms.

"What? You don't know?" She asked, astonished.

Killua shook his head, all too seriously. They both looked at the infant with questioning eyes, as if they were trying to decipher a code to a long lost civilization that would reveal the meaning of life. It eyed them back, as if they were two crazy loons.

"Is it 2 months old?" questioned Killua.

"No, he's too big to be a 2 monther, hmmm," she placed her hands on her hips, examining the infant with her eyes. It kicked the air. "No more than 8 months," she said.

 _Eight months_ , Killua thought. He was far off the money.

"Now get out, other patients need to use this room."

He was redirected to the front counter to the receptionist, to pay for their services. He flashed them his hunter license, which he made sure to wipe off all the drool. The nurse was surprised to see that the blue eyed man in front of her was a hunter. She almost regretted being so rude to him when they first met, almost. There was a look of disdain plastered on her face because all public facilities are free of cost to hunters, so that means Killua wouldn't be charged for their services. She scoffed.

He looked down at the infant, noticed how thin it was, and even heard his own stomach grumble.

"Do you maybe have a bottle of milk or something that I can feed him?" He asked. He wasn't exactly sure what babies eat.

The nurse brought back a bottle of goat milk for the baby and even a slice of bread for Killua.

"I had to add water to the milk. We're rationing, but it's enough for one."

"Thank you."

He sat down between other people in the overly crowded lobby. There was just enough room between an old woman and the window.

"Time for breakfast," said Killua to the infant who was eyeing the bottle greedily.

It sucked on the bottle, with the contents slowly decreasing. He was looking up at Killua with his silver colored eyes. Almost reflecting that of Killua's hair. The old woman next to him kissed her hand then sweetly patted the baby on the head. He didn't stir, he was currently too occupied drinking his breakfast.

She eyed the slice of bread that Killua was holding in his hand. He handed it to her.

"Thank you," she smiled.

He looked out the window, watching the wind blow through the tree branches and leaves. Creating whistles of music. Leaves were falling and spiraling down towards the ground.

He looked back towards the baby, now he knew was somewhere around eight months old. He was surprised to see the bottle completely empty and even more to see the baby still sucking, hoping there was more to eat.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4: The Road x to x Kalamati

**Thank you so much for reading my story! Hugs and Kisses to all of you!**

 **So I forced, I mean, nicely persuaded my sister to read my fanfic, and she said it was really scary in the beginning! I had no idea! So I tried to make this chapter a little more lighthearted, but still tried to maintain the HXH vibe.**

 **Thank you all for the reviews too!**

 **and Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: The Road x to x Kalamati **

The woman noticed the little one's ravenousness. She slowly raised herself from her seat, exerting pressure on her legs and lower back. Her hands were wide, no doubt from working on the farm her entire life. Her body was built strong from plowing, sowing, and cultivating the lands. Something that she took pride in, a master in her craft.

Killua was surprised when she came back from the front counter, bearing a filled milk bottle in her hand. She had a wrinkled smile, but a kindred one. She handed him the bottle which he then gave to the bundle he was holding. Its hands reached out for the second serving of breakfast. Killua held the bottle, while the baby drank its contents.

The baby stopped halfway through its breakfast, already having a full, satisfied tummy. There was half a bottle of goat milk left, probably diluted with water as well. Killua looked at the head nurse at the counter, she was glaring at him; angry that scarce resources had to go to someone who could not and would not be paying for them. Since 95% of public facilities are entirely free for hunters! Killua turned his head towards the window, ignoring her stares.

"My daughter is in there," the woman said. Killua turned back his head towards her.

"What happened?"

The woman swallowed then spoke, "We were going to escape to the mainland, but a group of rebels got to us first." She fought back tears.

"I'm sorry."

"She'll make it, I just know it. She's a strong woman." The trembling in her voice said otherwise.

The baby squirmed a bit in Killua's arms, and was a little bit fussy. Then he gave a light burp.

"Excuse you," said Killua.

The woman smiled and gestured back to him. "He might be feeling a little uncomfortable after feeding, try patting him on the back." Killua nodded, but froze in place and the baby continued to squirm, and he had absolutely no idea of what to do. The woman decided to help him out.

"Put him against your chest and place his chin on your shoulder," she said, but to Killua it was like she was giving him synchronized swimming instructions, with flips, twirls, and cartwheels simultaneously in all directions. She sighed at how inexperienced he was, little did she know that it was his first day with the tot. She raised his arm and placed it on the baby's back, then gently positioned its chin on Killua's shoulder.

"They say that babies can hear the beating of their parent's hearts when laid like this. It's very soothing for them," she said.

"Really? Why is that?"

"They know that they are bounded with the person that loves them the most. It's a sense of security."

Killua nodded in politeness, but still quite not understanding. He didn't know about soothing heart beats, but his felt like it was pounding like a hammer on wood in his chest. There was nothing _soothing_ about it. He thought of his family's heart beats, and if he ever thought of them as being soothing. They were more menacing and cold than anything. He also didn't want to tell the old woman, who is showing him unconditional kindness that this baby is not even his child. He found the baby completely alone in a burning house, which felt like an oven on high heat.

He used En to detect the aura of any living individuals inside the burning house. Either the baby was the only _alive_ being in the house or he was abandoned and left to crisp under the flames.

What if the baby has parents left and they are still alive? There was so much chaos going on last night that it had to have been an accidental mistake to forget the child. Right? There is someone out there who _loves_ him the most. Where ever they are. Maybe they are looking for him right now?

"Now gently pat his back."

"Uh….okay." Killua was smacked back into reality. The baby's chin was nestled on Killua's shoulder with one hand, on and off gripping his shirt collar. "Like this?" He patted once, then looked at the old woman for some sort of approval before continuing.

"That's exactly right," she nodded her head. Pleased by passing on knowledge from one parent to another. If only she knew!

At first, Killua barely touched the baby, barely stroking its skin. Then he gained some confidence and patted its back with a little more vigor. The baby burped again.

"This is easier than I thought it was," said Killua. Then he thought of what the dispatch leader told him last night, about a rescue. He told Killua to head to the harbor town called _Kalamati._ It was located in the north region of the islands. He decided that was the plan he was going to focus on. He went with the notion that the child had no family left on the island, they could have been taken to the mainland instead. He could also ask around for information-

Something sticky and gooey ran down his shoulder, along with it came a gurgling sound. Oh how he didn't want to look and find out what he already knew the source of the sticky stuff! He tried to hold back grimace that was unfortunately showing on his face. Unlike the baby's which was showing pleasant relief.

" _Great_ , now I suddenly been demoted from hunter to human towel." Killua wiped off the regurgitation from the baby's breakfast. The baby squeaked a high note that went straight through Killua's ear. "By all means, please continue I hope that I'm not interrupting your soprano solo."

The baby continued to squeak random high notes, into the heart of Killua's ear.

Killua shut his eyes and blinked heavily, "wow…..you sure have a strong voice. My eardrum is catching every note of that." He silently said, _OOOOOWWW._

A swirling fan was directly stationed above them, pushing humid air throughout the lobby. The lobby was still crowded, much to Killua's dismay. The baby raised its head up to the fan, strained its neck, and was enticed by the mysterious machine. How it swirled and swirled and swirled and swirled and swirled and never stopped! How amazing! Extraordinary!

"What are you looking at?" Killua looked at the baby, who was looking at perpetual motion fan, then he looked up as well. The mystique that was caught in the little one's eyes did not show up in Killua's. He raised an eyebrow. To him, it was a rusty old fan that did a horrible job of what it was supposed to actually do. It circulated the hot air that was constantly suffocating him. Not an ounce of coolness brushed against his hair.

Suddenly, the baby held out its arm towards Killua. Without even thinking, Killua held on to them, and was totally shocked with what came next.

"What's he doing and did I brake him?!" The baby was bobbing up and down, balancing on Killua's thighs.

"Ah! Look how strong he is. He's practicing using the muscles he has in his legs. It's too early for him to walk, but he's getting there. You must be so proud."

Killua looked up towards the fan and breathed heavily, with the little one still bobbing up and down, and squeaking random sounds joyously.

 _Gon, what I wouldn't give to talk to you right now._

…

 _Achoo!_

"Are you alright Gon?" Alluka asked. She handed him a tissue, and after he sneezed into it and it came back from his nose completely drenched, she handed him the whole box.

"I don't know, my cold hasn't gotten better….agh…..agh..CHOOOOOO!...yet." he paused, "it hasn't gotten better yet." He sluggishly walked over to a chair then slouched in it.

"When did it start?"

"It was right after we chatted with Killua yesterday," Gon sneezed into another wad of tissues, "I wonder how he's doing." Gon slowly titled in his chair, and Alluka had to support him from falling off. "Is the room lopsided or is it just me?"

"It's you, and we can chat with Killua later. You have to get some rest first. No offense, but you look…."

"Handsome." Gon smiled with a greenish complexion on his face, and tilted in his chair again. Alluka held him steady on both shoulders. She sighed.

"Gon, you look about a thousand wonderful things, but when you get sick, you get little," Alluka racked her brain searching for a kind but not condescending word, "you get a little loony."

Gon was baffled and stood up, forgetting that the room was lopsided according to his point of view, and stumbled next to the coffee table. Alluka outstretched her arms for Gon to balance himself, but he waved them out, spinning himself back into balance.

"What nonsense! I am completely sensible to my surroundings at all serendipity times," Gon said. Alluka rolled her eyes at the fact that Gon always uses the word 'serendipity' whenever he gets sick.

"Just go to bed."

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go meet Wing-san and Sushi Roll for a tea party with the Queen." Gon picked up and wobbled out of the room holding his box of tissues as if they were his top hat for a fancy garden party. He was about to walk out of the room, until he stubbed his toe on the door frame. Alluka grabbed a thermometer and placed it into Gon's ear, revealing that he has a low grade fever.

"How on earth did he get at the head of the excavating project?" she asked herself.

"Because the queen knighted me!" Gon shouted from across the room. Alluka went over to the freezer and got an ice pack, cool to the touch, and medicine. Then she tossed them to Gon. "Thank you your majesty."

"You're welcome, now go to bed."

…

The baby was still bobbing up and down and treating Killua as if he was a bouncy house. He wasn't sure how many arteries burst in his brain, then looked down at the baby, "I swear, you will be the end of me, and you're relishing every moment." It cooed in response, not ceasing its bouncing.

Finally, he held the tot, stopping it from bobbing. He looked at the old woman, who seemed to have been enjoying the show.

"Do you know of some harbor town called _Kalamati?"_ Killua asked.

"Kalamati? You mean in the north? Yes, of course, it's the biggest harbor town in the Islands."

Killua looked rejuvenated. "Yes! Can you please tell me how to get there?"

"You are a very lucky man, _kalamati_ is the most travel to destination. All you have to do is follow the main road, not avert to any side paths and it will take you there."

"How long of a journey is it by walking?" Because any other form of transportation that involves blue sparks or high speed is a definite no.

"Well, it depends, it can take at least a whole day, if you know where you are going. Ah! Another thing, the main road is surrounded by raspberry trees, follow those, and you know you're going the right way."

Killua and the baby rested before they traveled again. Killua drifted to sleep when the sun was setting and darkness was approaching. Slowly covering the world that cherished and felt the warmth from the sun.

" _Where are you?"_ Darkness asked.

Killua shut his eyes, refusing to acknowledge its call.

He woke up to the feeling of something traveling up and down his shoulder. Then he _fondly,_ remembered the pleasant gift that was graciously supplied by the little one in his arms. Which left a huge stain in his shirt, and smelled of goat. When he opened his eyes, the little one was fast asleep, not moving an inch, except for its chest slowly moving up and down. It looked like a cherub. He couldn't believe this was the non-stop-jack-in-the-box several hours ago.

Something was crawling on his shoulder. He looked down and also _fondly_ remembered that he has a strong distaste for bugs, live bugs. A cockroach was climbing on his shoulder. Its antennae's were caressing his skin. He wanted to scream.

He quickly acted using his assassination skills that he acquired over the years, grabbed the roach, opened the window, tossed it as hard as he could, and finally closed the window with a deep breath of relief.

The baby didn't stir, sound asleep. Killua kept his eyes open for the rest of the night. Eyeing the ground, and every corner and crevice of the walls. There was no way he could go to sleep after that.

When darkness officially left and traded places with light, Killua decided it was best to start moving and head to the harbor town. He used a blanket to create a bag to hold the bandages, antibiotic and aloe vera gel, and milk bottle. There were still plenty of people sleeping in the lobby, including the old woman that showed him endless kindness.

They left the emergency center, before anyone woke up to hear them. To notice an empty seat between the window and the old woman.

"So, follow the main road that is shrouded with raspberry trees," he said to himself, reciting over and over the directions. "Sounds delicious, don't you think?" he said to the little one that was fast asleep. Killua heard the crackling sounds of gravel underneath this feet, walking on the sand and dirt road.

"I really like you like this, y'know when you're not shouting in my ears or throwing up on me. This is a good look for you," said Killua to the baby. It was fast asleep, unaware of the gibberish the man was speaking of.

Killua felt of wave of relief waving over him, when he saw the raspberry trees slowly encasing the sides of the main road and he continued to walk. If the old woman was right, this road would take them to Kalamati. The sun was blazing hot, and Killua found himself walking underneath the shadows of the overgrown trees that stretched even taller than himself. He was 6'1. Occasionally he'd walk into a clump of fallen berries, leaving a puddle of purple slush behind him. He looked up to see luscious, succulent, and plump berries hanging on the branches, waiting to be picked. The light from the sun glistened off of the berries skin revealing colors of purple, blue, and pink.

He was picking berries off the branches, before he wiped the drool escaping his mouth. He was having berries for breakfast. Ripples of sweetness tingled his jaw and left him gobbling for more. Granted that these raspberries were no choco-robos, they were delicious all the same.

Although, the old woman did neglect to mention one thing. Perhaps she forgot, or thought that it was blatantly obvious why plump berries in the droves hung on the branches of these trees. That there were no animals to feed off the plants or farmers to pick them. Theoretically, there was plenty to feed a good amount of people. If they were edible that is. Killua felt the way, they sizzled in his stomach, the way that acid does to anything it touches.

These raspberries were poisonous. He felt that in the pit of his stomach.

This is probably one of the only times, he has been thankful to his family for implementing these skill sets into him, since he was a young boy. He'd be drop dead gorgeous lying ice cold on the floor by now, if it wasn't for them. He licked the remaining juices off of his fingers, relishing the last drops of his potent breakfast. Unlike the diluted goat milk, his breakfast had more of a kick. He was full and ready to move onward.

When the baby woke up, it made a face at the sun that was glaring back at him. Killua used the same burping technique to position the baby facing away from the sun. He heard the little one squeaking in his ear again.

"If I knew you were going to sing for me….I would have brought my earplugs." He said the last part in a hushed voice. The baby squirmed and began to whine.

"I'm sorry, you have a wonderful voice, but I'm just a picky listener." Killua said, while the baby started chewing on the fabric of his shirt, which wasn't helping him in the slightest. He was about to cry again. A lightbulb went off in Killua's head.

"Don't worry, I know what you want," Killua reached down into his back pocket and took out his hunter license that was destined to be glistened with drool. He handed it to the baby and it cooed happily, sucking on the corners of the license.

Killua walked further on, until he heard something drop to the ground along with a whine in the air. He turned around to see his license laying helplessly on the dirt road, not in the hands of the 8 month old.

"Don't. Lose. The. License. That's the only rule. There was a no drool policy, but that sadly can't be helped."

He bent down to pick it up, which was covered with drool and now caked with dirt. He rose back up and wiped off the debris with this shirt. Then handed the license back to the baby.

He walked about four more steps, and stopped when he heard something fall to the ground again. He turned around, bent down, picked up the license and handed it to the baby.

 _DROP_

He slowly turned around to see his license glistening on the ground. This time he slowly went to pick up the license and handed it back to the baby. He turned the baby towards him, eyed him with a raised eyebrow and asked, "What are you going to do now?" The baby, right in front of Killua, threw the license on the ground. No guilt, no remorse, only with a smile plastered on its cute little face. It happily kicked its legs, waiting for what would come next.

Killua's eye twitched and he bent down to retrieve his license. The baby happily cooed when Killua rose back up, with a bounce in his step.

Killua half smirked, half annoyed said, "Really? That's what you like?" He wiped off the debris and put the license safely back into his pocket. He laid both of his hands underneath the baby's back and cradled him up in the air then down to his chest like a rocket ship. The baby squeaked out laughter with a huge grin on its face.

He continued that for a couple of moments, but then stopped when he realized he was smiling and laughing himself. He shook his head.

"You're getting me sidetracked. It takes one WHOLE day to get to Kalamati and we don't want to prolong the trip, right." Killua said to the baby, but the baby turned its head to see a dragon fly wiz by its head.

Killua heavily sighed, "The conditions that I have to work with never cease to end." He looked up at the sky, ranting.

Suddenly, Killua heard a scream in the air, his head turned towards the direction that reached further down the road. The baby nestled his head into Killua's neck and grabbed his shirt.

His hand traced back to his hunter license, in his pocket. "You know, they don't give these out for nothing, let me show you what I mean."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **I also like referencing other Hunter X Hunter characters in random places. Beans made a reference last chapter, and Wing and Zushi cameo during Gon's tangent. (kind of XD )**


	5. Chapter 5: Raspberries x and x Pixies

**Chapter 5: Raspberries x and Pixies**

Killua would do anything for a brief distraction from the little one that is currently pulling on his hair enthusiastically. The ex-assassin was bending down in the shadows of a raspberry tree, silent. The remnants of darkness that lingered throughout the bright days. The scream he heard came from a group of people that do not look very friendly.

"Would you quit it," he whispered, irritated. The baby stared at him, interrupting his play. Then continued to pull on the man's white locks of hair again, this time with an extra tug. Killua rolled his eyes. The raspberry trees were providing an excellent cover for them. The rebels didn't even notice them hiding there.

It was a group consisting of 10 rebels, outnumbering 2 civilians. Two men were holding down a girl screaming for the young man. The man was getting beaten to a pulp by the other rebels and they were enjoying it.

"No! Leave him alone! He didn't do anything to you!" The girl yelled.

The rebel used the back of his weapon and belligerently thrusted it towards the man's jaw. A crack was heard, even far away where Killua was hiding. It sent the man tumbling towards the ground, with blood dripping from his mouth.

"Yanny!" The girl yelled and tried to run towards him, the other rebels held her back. They were laughing.

The man slowly rose himself up from the ground, he was wobbling for support. The rebel punched him in the gut, and sent the man falling towards the ground again. Hunching over in pain. The rebel turned towards the girl. She shuddered.

"It's your turn-

Soon the man was no longer on the ground. He used all the strength he had left and pounced on the rebel's back. Holding on for dear life, his arms were around the rebel's neck, suffocating him. He gritted his teeth and struggled to remain hold of the monster. The rebel stumbled backwards, trying to free himself.

Another rebel yanked the man off of his back.

Killua shook his head in disappointment. He gave the guy credit for his foolish bravery, but the young man didn't have an ounce of strength left in him to continue. Clearly outnumbered and was laying helpless on the ground, gasping for air. Killua gently laid the baby on the ground underneath the shade of the raspberry tree. The baby toppled over to its side, unable to support itself. Killua supported itself once more. Then gestured with his hands.

"Stay right there, and I'll be right back." The baby grabbed its feet, not looking at the man clearly speaking to him.

As soon as Killua stood up, almost exiting the shadows of the raspberry tree, leaving the child amongst its own accord. The baby looked towards the ground and parted its lips. It cumbersomely picked up a squishy, poisonous raspberry and was going to put it in its mouth. The kind that the white haired man was eating before, hogging them all for himself. It was his turn for a delicious treat, the goat milk was so bland. It was like someone diluted it with water. Ew.

Killua's attention was turned back to the child, wide eyed.

"No! Don't eat that!" it was a combination of a whisper and a yell. He immediately yanked the berry out the baby's little hand. The baby looked at its empty hand then at Killua then back at its empty, berryless hand. Its face scrunched up and turned a light shade of overly dramatic red. His berry was stolen without precedence. Justice must be served!

"You can't just pick up things off the ground and put them in your mouth, especially if you don't know anything about. These are poisonous!" As the words spilled from his mouth and realized just a little while ago, he, himself picked up unknown berries and put them in his mouth. He was contradicting himself.

Sure, he was immune to poison. But Still!

The redness faded from the little ones face when he saw another berry on the ground! He just as cumbersomely picked up the berry and parted his lips.

"Enough," he picked up the baby and tossed the poisonous berry from its hands. "You're coming with me, I can't leave you alone for five seconds." Killua grumbled. The little one squirmed in his arms, finally calming down. Entertaining himself by grabbing mini fistfuls of Killua's hair and pulling on them.

"If I go bald, you'll be hearing from my lawyer."

Killua narrowed his eyes towards the rebels, and thought of what he could do while remaining only in the shadows with an infant in his arms. He smirked and blue static condensed solely in his right hand. Little sparks of blue fizzling with a passion. The little one stopped pulling Killua's hair and eyed the pretty blue sparks with curiosity, then reaching with his hand to touch them.

"Stop wanting to grab everything!" Killua half whispered and half yelled, while he leaned the sparks away from the kid. He refocused on the group of rebels and aimed his hand through the shadows, eyeing his targets. The baby was eyeing something as well, the magical blue lights coming from the man's hand. He was still leaning forward to touch them.

Killua developed another unique ability long after he conceived _godspeed_. This ability allowed him to battle at long distances and stun his opponents. These small shots of lighting were fierce, direct, and fast. Each speck of blue flew through the air, hitting their targets. Killua was also able to control the path of flight for them, so they would whirl and turn in any direction. Someone to see these flying blue sparks might think they were small mythical creatures flying absentmindedly in an enchanted garden. He decided to call them _pixies._

Each _pixie_ hit a rebel in the chest. The blue sparks disappearing after each hit, looking nothing more like a harmless cloud of dust dissipating. The rebels stumbled over looking woozy, pale as a student finding out they had another page of a test to go, but handing it in before actually realizing their horrible mistake. Each pixie had enough gusto to interfere with a person's electrical impulses in the heart. Throwing off their normal rhythmical heartbeat and disturbing their sinoatrial node, the pacemaker of the heart.

After the rebels collapsed, the girl ran to the man lying on the ground and knelt down beside him. "Yanny, Yanny!? Please wake up!" The man's eyes were closed, but his chest was still moving up and down, breathing in air.

Killua walked up towards the woman and the man. She glared at him with tears in her eyes, thinking he was another rebel, who came back for revenge, itching to fight again. Then she saw the baby in his arms, still tugging on Killua's hair. The baby sweetly smiled. Her stance relaxed.

"What do you want?" she nervously asked.

"I saw what happened from way back there," Killua pointed towards the raspberry trees, not turning his head, "looks like you needed like."

"We don't need help, go about your own way," she looked back towards the man and was wiping blood off of his mouth with her long skirt. Her own tears were spilling from her eyes.

"There's an emergency center down the road, it will take you a couple of hours to get there, the nurses there are…eh….. _diligent_ to say the least, but they'll take good care of him."

"Just go away!" She screamed at him. Killua scoffed. She is obviously suffering from post-trauma. The way her hands and arms are shaking and her pupils are dilated. She should be grateful that he saved her and her friend. The least she could do was say 'thank you.' He looked around at the rebels, laying on the ground. Their sinoatrial nodes would resynchronize soon. Not in a few moments kind of soon, but thirty minutes kind of soon. If he left these two alone, the rebels would get back on their feet, and who knows what they would do to them.

"Can you hold him?" Killua handed the woman the little one and it cooed a little sound. Not liking being transferred from one person to another. He was in the arms of a stranger, a pretty stranger, but a stranger nevertheless. He did not like her, he wanted to be in the arms of the man holding him before, the one with the long white hair so he may yank on it again. This girl had her hair up in a bun, there were no loose strands to pull on, how boring.

"What are you doing?"

"I'll take him to the emergency center," Killua lifted up the man and placed him on his back. He already turned around, but then the girl stopped him.

"No, let's go back home. It's better that way."

"Are you sure? I mean, the nurses back there love me. I can guarantee him first class treatment."

She shook her head, adamant. Killua looked at the young woman from head to toe. She could have been 18 years old, but Killua recently learned that he is really bad at guessing ages. She had a tear drop shaped face with rose colored lips. Her hair was nestled up in a bun, the color of ripe peaches.

"Fine, lead the way," Killua shrugged.

They walked for what seemed like hours. The sun was beginning to set, the remaining shards of light scattering across the land. He hoped they would reach their destination soon. The man was getting heavier to carry. He looked at the girl holding the baby in her arms. He has been holding the little one for so long, his arms felt lighter, with a sense of relief, but they also felt empty. The man he was carrying did not fill his confusing void.

The girl murmured something under her breathe, this time she turned to Killua, and asked with a stronger voice, "You're not one of them, are you?"

"Of course not, I'm too busy running a babysitting service." He gestured to the little one sleeping in her arms. "I have no time for political rebellions."

"Oh, that's good." The girl didn't laugh at his attempt to lighten the mood. The atmosphere was becoming more awkward as they moved onward with the gravel crackling underneath their steps. Killua gulped.

"Why did they attack you both back there?"

The girl angrily laughed in the air, "as if they actually need a reason. Yanny and I were both coming back from town, and a group of them followed us."

Killua looked at the unconscious man he was carrying. He had short brown hair, now caked with dirt, and was well built. He wore sun colored clothing, with stains of blood soaking in, no doubt leaving hard to remove stains. This man had a name, and it was Yanny.

"They asked Yanny to join them, to be a part of their ruthless gang. To join the rebellion. He has too much pride to do anything of the sorts. He has too many people to care for, my parents, siblings," she paused, "and me."

"I saw what he did. When he saw that rebel coming towards you, he put together the last of the strength he had left and charged head first into the shark tank." Yanny was a mouse with the strength of a bull, something Killua saw in very few people. Gon was the first person he saw with that hidden strength. It was a trait that Killua deeply admired.

"And because of me he's like this, injured, unconscious, and hurt. He didn't have to protect me, playing hero and all."

"And who are you exactly?" asked Killua, who came off sounding a tab bit rude. He lifted the man up more, preventing him from falling on the ground, face first in the gravel. She looked down at the baby and sighed.

"A nobody."

"I meant a name."

"Does it even matter?"

"Yes, it makes a world of a difference. Sleeping beauty over here is Yanny. So, what's your name?"

"Illena."

"Well, it's nice to meet you Illena." He looked at her and saw a glimmer of that same strength as well. It was faint and flickering, but more importantly it was there, meaning it could ignite into pure blazing flames someday. The kind of strength he saw in Gon, and the kind he saw in Yanny. It was the will to protect and move forward.

"And you are?"

"Killua."

She nodded than looked down towards the infant.

"Oh, he is…I don't really know…...but he's tagging along."

"So, you were traveling up the main road. I hope you didn't try to eat those raspberries. First time travelers here always make that mistake." She shook her head.

"Right, that would be really stupid of someone to do…..By the way, we're heading to a town called _Kalamati_."

"My family and I live near there."

Killua looked excited, maybe even a little too excited. The girl jumped a bit, surprised by his reactions. "Then you can show us how to get there."

"Sure, but I don't know why you would want to go there. That place is crawling with rebels." She shivered at her own statement. Killua's smile faltered into a bewildered frown. All his excitement blew away with the gust of wind that finally cooled his body from the heat.

It was another death trap and he was diving head first into it.

 **…**

The sun had already descended when they arrived at Illena's house.

It was a small shack made out of wood surrounded by acres of crops and farm land. There was also a larger shed in the back, what looked to be a barn. There were also wild dogs tide with rope around their necks outside of the barn. No doubt guarding the livestock within it. They growled when they sensed Killua and Illena walking towards them. There was a stone oven outside, block after block with stains of past meals smothered on the stones. Killua looked around to see if there were any raspberry trees, he released a breath when he realized there were absolutely zero on the premises.

Light pierced the darkness when a giant man opened the door. He cried, "Illena!"

"Father!"

Her father ran towards them, and fear was captured in his eyes when he saw Killua holding an unconscious Yanny. Killua peered behind the man, to witness more people inside the house. An older woman who was just as big as the father and three children among different ages.

The father hurriedly gestured for them all to come inside. Killua laid Yanny on a small bed in one of the rooms. The rooms were bare and only splinters decorated the walls.

The father turned to Killua. "Thank you for protecting Illena and Yanny, you saved them. If you didn't show up, then who knows what could have happened."

"It's nothing, really," said Killua. Illena handed him back the baby, which he was now cradling in his arms. The baby yawned, not at all hushed.

"You can stay here for the night, it's the least we can do."

"If it doesn't burden you, then yes, thank you." Truth is Killua was more than willing to stay the night. He couldn't sleep for the past couple of days, and he needed the rest. Especially at a place that didn't harbor reachable poisonous snacks. The main road was filled with them.

There wasn't another bedroom for Killua and the baby to sleep in, so he was given a thin sheet to use as a blanket and the only choice was to sleep on the hard tile floor in the living room. The candle lights were blown out and Killua decided to bundle up the sheet as a bed for the baby.

The moonlight was shining through the window with fragments of dust floating in the air. The howls from the wild dogs could be heard from inside the house, calling to the moon, to ward away predators, or directed to unwanted guests that are currently sleeping in the living room. The tiles were coated with dirt, and reminded him of the times he slept on the ground at the zoldyck manor during solitary confinement. He shuddered at the mere thought. But these tiles were dulled out from constantly being stepped on, constantly in motion. They were full of life. Not like the ones at the manor, lifeless and cold.

After reapplying the bandages and gel, he placed the baby on the folded sheet, the makeshift bed. Killua laid on the tiles ready to sleep, he's seen worse nights. He closed his eyes until he heard the baby squeak. He reopened his eyes to see the tot roll off its back and unto its tummy. It started to crawl away from the bed that Killua worked so hard to make.

Killua had to act quickly, it was crawling fast. He picked it up, before it started to journey beyond the kitchen table. He placed it back onto the bed.

"It's time to sleep. Sleep." Killua gestured with his hands, making a pillow and pretending to sleep. The baby smiled and waved its hands, liking this game of charades.

"You got it?" Killua raised an eyebrow, hoping the infant understood his message about nap time. He turned on his back and closed his eyes, only to reopen them again to see the little one crawling across the floor again. Obviously, he did not get the memo. He was not in the mood for sleeping. Killua grabbed the little race car then placed it back onto the bed, this time pulling it closer towards himself.

Killua stared it down, not taking his eyes off him. _You will go to sleep_ , thought Killua.

"I need to sleep." He pointed towards himself. "You need to sleep." He pointed towards the baby and it grabbed his finger. Playing a game of tug of war. Killua's brow twitched. "I REALLY need to sleep." He pointed towards himself again. The baby flipped back unto its belly and began to crawl all over again.

"This is going to be harder than I thought, come here." He picked up the baby and pulled the sheet closer to him. Killua had his arm around the corners of the bundled sheet so the tot wouldn't crawl off again. The baby was close to Killua's heart. He wasn't sure if his heart beat was soothing or pleasing to listen to, but…..

This time, the baby fell sound asleep.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Thanks for the reviews and favs! I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions, I literally jump up with joy whenever I see them! How is the story is going, is it flowing nicely? It brightens my heart that people actually like my little story! Hugs!**


	6. Chapter 6: Breakfast x at x Kukan'yu

**Chapter 6: Breakfast x at x Kukan'yu**

One could simply guess that Gon couldn't hold in his fervent excitement from his pacing around the room from corner to corner besides the carved stone walls of the Cayenne Ruins. Etched with mysterious runes. He wasn't even watching where he was going, scientists had to move the previously laid out maps off the ground from Gon getting his muddy boot prints stamped on them. A smile was tugging on the corner of his lips as he passed his colleagues gazing at the vast unknown they just recently uncovered.

As leader of the official exploration of the Cayenne Ruins located in the Saherta, known for their touristy attractions and wild roller coaster rides. Now they'll have historical monuments on the itinerary, thanks to government funding and donations from wealthy benefactors. Gon had to make the decision whether or not they should pursue further and notify the newscasters impatiently waiting outside in the mosquito infested air. But from the tangible smile on his face now reflecting in those around him, the decision was blatantly obvious.

For now it would be kept a secret from the public eye, there was more uncharted territory to unravel.

He couldn't wait to tell Killua.

* * *

Morning light glistened through the window.

Killua woke up feeling stiff in the shoulders. A long night sleeping on a tile floor was no luxury vacation, but he was well rested to say the least. His hair was disheveled, more unkempt than how it usually looks. He sluggishly opened his eyes, and first saw the painted white ceiling above him. Pieces of paint were chipping off, revealing empty patches of wood underneath. He stretched his arms, untangling the knots in his muscles with every yawn. His arms were empty.

Killua shuddered than looked down to the wrapped sheet at his side, all messy, a bed not even made after a good night's rest. But that wasn't the worse of it. His eyes shot open, bewildered. It was an empty sheet. Where did the baby go?! The little one fell asleep next to him last night, Killua made sure that it didn't crawl off beyond his arms.

Nervousness crept up his spine, he looked around the room. He got down on all fours and first looked underneath the kitchen table. He scoffed, it wasn't there. Then he remembered that the little one loves his hunter license. He quickly yanked it out from his back pocket and started jingling it from its chain. That is one way to catch a cat, but it does not apply for babies. If anyone were to walk in on this display of a young man crawling on the ground on his hands and knees jingling a chain wildly, one would think he is an absolute nit wit. Maybe even out of his mind.

Illena stood at the door frame, concerned for the young man's wellbeing. She was cradling the baby in her arms, and the little one smiled finding the young man's antics very amusing. It giggled a high note.

Killua heard the squeak when he was halfway underneath the kitchen table, made of fine oak wood, the sound startled him and he bunked his head underneath the table. A loud thud resonated through the room. Upon realizing his current state of affairs, he immediately stood up and avoided hitting his head a second time. He pushed his hunter license back into his pocket and his face was flustered. How he wished he could take back his embarrassing actions and so did Illena. How she wished she could un-see his embarrassing actions. She stood at the door frame, silent with wide eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words escaped.

Finally Killua spoke up, a way to redeem himself, by explaining his mad actions. He dusted off his pants, flowered with dirt.

"Oh-I didn't know where-ah he was, he kept on crawling all over the floor the night before," he pointed to the child, "and he really likes my license and-I'm not crazy."

Illena nodded, utterly confused. Instead, she turned her attention back to the baby, drooling on itself. "I woke up this morning to see him crawling across the floor." She bobbed him up a bit, "he is a little angel."

The baby cooed.

Killua was dumfounded. "Angel? You think he's an angel?" His eyebrow was raised in utter suspicion. "Are we talking about the same baby I brought with me or are you referring to another person entirely?"

"Of course it's this one! He didn't cry not once this morning, when I picked him up and held him or when I fed him and changed his diaper." She smiled at the bundle with kindness glittering in her eyes.

"I think you're confused." He looked at the little one in her arms, it wasn't bobbing, squealing, crying, singing, regurgitating, or drooling randomly. _He's doing this on purpose,_ thought Killua, staring at the little one. It happily stared right back at him, the young man's hair was standing up silly in all directions. It giggled.

Killua brought his attention back to the girl and remembered the events that led to their being here. "How is Yanny? I hope sleeping beauty is doing better."

The glitter from Illena's eyes was swept away with sadness, she said in a low whisper, "he'll be fine. He woke up in the middle of the night, finally coming to his senses where he was and all. I told him everything about what happened when he was knocked out. He says thank you for helping us, but he's still bedridden, much to his despair." She walked over to gently give Killua the baby, then said with a brighter tone in her voice, "his eyes are so beautiful. They look like little amethysts."

Killua quirked up an eyebrow and looked into the little ones eyes, "They look gray." The baby looked at Killua, wide eyed, and then looked around the room again seeing a fly whoosh above its head. Killua noticed that the child's eyes weren't just gray, but had streaks of purple in them. This was the first time he actually took a good look and caught his attention.

When she finally placed the baby back into Killua's arm, the baby reached up and grabbed fistfuls of Killua's hair and tugged away with glee. The girl always has her hair up in a tight bun, it's no fun at all. Killua said in a whisper only he and the baby could hear, "I know you're putting on a show, playing the role of a nice, little, innocent angel. You may have them convinced, but not me."

The baby playfully tapped its hands against Killua's mouth, maybe to silence him from exposing his cover, who really knows. But the baby merrily cooed and continued playing with Killua's hair. Killua sighed, exasperated.

More people entered the room, it was the hefty woman, who was probably the mother, according to Killua's point of view, and the three little children of assorted ages. The youngest was a toddler holding its mother's hand when walking into the room. The father came into the room, he was silent, but that did not describe his aura. It was pleasant and bright.

"Did you sleep all right?" The father asked. Everyone started to pull out chairs from the kitchen table, the one where Killua was crawling under before, and started to sit down. The mother was placing plates on the table which featured slices of thin bread and cheese. A ceramic pitcher was placed unto the table, bearing water.

"We slept like rocks."

The man smiled, "Good." Then he gestured to an open chair, "Please, have a seat."

The sensation felt foreign to him, it was a kind gesture, but he wanted to shy away. Never before has he seen a family gather together around a table, not discussing business plans, intense training regiments, or assassination missions. There were no intense eyes looking at him with daggers or knives or blades thrusted in front of his face if he didn't comply. He was astonished to see these people, a family, and simply gathering together in the morning to eat breakfast with one another. He saw these social gatherings on TV shows and dramas. Always over embellished with smiling faces and a giant turkey centered in the middle of the table. He knew they existed, but he never thought he would part take in one of them. Not until he hesitantly pulled out a chair and sat down at the table himself, the little one was eyeing the bread greedily.

He was caught off guard when a little boy seated next to him passed him a plate, not a blade coated with poison or a threatening letter he had to write, but of green circular bundles. They looked like they were wrapped in leaves.

The boy nudged the plate more, "Go on and take one, before they are all gone." The boy stuffed one and munched on it in his mouth, relishing the taste. He was already eyeing another to eat.

Killua took one, and past the plate on to the next person, it was another one of the children. It was a girl with curly brown hair that coiled endlessly. He looked at the green-ish leafy food and followed what everyone else was doing. He stuffed it in his mouth and relished the taste. With one bite, he realized that it was rice wrapped in salty grape leaves. He could also taste garlic in the rice. Remnants of green juice settled on his fingers.

The baby was already given its own breakfast, different from everyone else's. Killua spooned a little bit into its mouth, what looked to be a fish paste of some sorts. Well, the baby wasn't complaining, gobbling each spoonful with some dripping down its mouth. _Of course, playing proper at the table_ , thought Killua.

"Illena said you found them on the main road to Kalamati, it's a good thing you came along when you did."

Killua looked up from feeding the baby, "It was just a coincidence, we just happened to be there."

"I like to think there are no such things as coincidences in life."

"If not, we wouldn't be dining here with you fine people," Killua said. The little girl next to him, passed a piece of bread to the baby and it happily accepted her token of hospitality.

"What's the baby's name?" asked the girl.

"Uh, actually, I found him in the West Islands, all alone in a burning house."

"Another rescue? We truly have a hero at the table, you're a brave man to rescue him," said the mother.

 _Brave. Hero._ It was his job to rescue refugees, nothing in him told him to just gallantly walk into a flaming building out of good will. He could describe Gon as being brave or Kurapika or even Leorio as being brave. But never himself. A hero. Ridiculous.

Killua looked around the table, it was a full family, a mother, father, and children. The baby he is holding, that has some fishy juices dripping down its mouth, has no family left. Or none that Killua knows of. According to the father, there is no such thing as coincidences, maybe the child would be best to stay here.

"He doesn't have any family left. Would you be willing to take him in as your own?" The baby looked up and gripped fistfuls of Killua's shirt.

The kids immediately got excited, leaning in over the table towards their parents. The back legs of their chairs were off the ground. "Please! I want another sibling," the girl said. "Pretty please please please," said the boy.

The father coughed. "We're grateful that you've saved Illena and Yanny, but we can't take in another child."

It was not meant to be.

The scene in front of him was quiet and serene, despite the kids chatting endlessly and the parents shushing them to eat their food. It was nothing Killua ever experienced before. It was nice. Although, everyone that Killua saw was sitting at the table, except one person was missing. It was Yanny.

Illena stood up from the table and carried with her a plate of food into another room.

When everyone was finished eating, clearing the table and washing the dishes. Each member played a role in this machine called a family. Each one was working in synch with another, getting ready for today's chores that had to be performed, except for the occasional whine from one of the kids, envying the beautiful outdoors beckoning for them to go outside and play. The Zoldyck family was quite the opposite, each segregated into their own territories away from one another. They didn't have time to do chores, no absolutely not! Especially spend time together as a family, heck no! That's why they had the maids and the butlers and the nannies and the chefs and every other pawn that works at the Zoldyck manor, with strict loyalty for the family coursing through their vines. Protecting their jobs as they do their very own lives. It is an efficient, but dreary work environment.

After changing the bandages and gel on the baby, Killua could see the wounds were starting to heal. Starting to that is. Its blisters were still red, but the brightness faded, starting to scar. He also received several lectures on how to properly feed, change diapers, and handle a baby by the mother of the parents of the household, with the occasional intervention of the kids saying the best times to play outside in the sun and how to avoid the inconspicuous scorpions lying about the ground. They hurt. Killua especially took a mental note of that, eyeing the baby that is currently crawling on the ground, with its palms open to everything.

The father opened the front door, with his big hefty shoulders, and looked at Killua, "Come with me."

Killua complied. "Where are we going?" They walked past the barn, past the growling dogs, and with one quick, menacing look. Killua had them whimpering in the back of the barn.

"Fishing." He paused and looked at his fleet of terrified guard dogs, huddled together, "Hm? What's gotten into them?"

Killua shrugged.

They gathered what they needed and walked towards a bay, the water was calm and still. No waves have yet disturbed its tranquility. The man tossed Killua an empty bucket, he had one himself, then walked towards the water before rolling up the bottoms of his pants.

"Today, we'll just be catching enough to barter with our neighbors for more feed for our livestock," said the man.

"We're going to be catching fish with these buckets?" asked Killua.

"You can do that if you want to, but you'll be standing here for hours with a bucket full of nothing. We're collecting bait."

"Right."

"Usually Yanny helps me with this sort of work, but you'll have to do, if you don't mind. You look strong, what is your line of craft?"

"I'm a hunter."

"Ah yes, Illena said something about that earlier today. What do you hunt?" The man genuinely asked, but Killua himself didn't genuinely know himself. Since all hunters are required to 'hunt.' He decided on being a contract hunter, doing miscellaneous jobs wherever. He was stuck on nothing anyway.

"Just working here and there, nothing is set in stone."

"Ah, I see. You're young and there is plenty of time to figure out what you want out of life. Is 'jingling a license' some hunter lingo or secret code? Illena said something about that too."

 _Gossip spreads fast_ , thought Killua. "So, we're catching fish or something?" Killua rolled up his pants.

The man walked nonchalantly into the water and plunged his arm down towards it, searching for what he wants. "We're gathering elodeas."

Killua looked down towards the clear water clouded with water weeds, not one fish swimming merrily in site. "I'll I see are weeds." He cocked his head to the side.

The man's arm plunged up from the water, his hand was grasping giant clumps of water weeds. "Exactly, these are elodeas. But we don't call them weeds. Weeds suck out the energy and nutrients from all the life surrounding them. These 'water weeds' are much more than that. They are vital for the environment, fish, bugs, all marine life depends on these elodeas to survive. They also make excellent bait."

"Which is why we're using them." Killua looked at the elodeas. Before, he and his teammates looked at these plants as nuisances being extra hindrances getting in the ways of their jobs rowing the boats.

"Precisely."

 _Elodea_

Killua and the man collected bushels of elodea until the tops of their buckets overflowed. Finally the man picked up the supplies and stared out into the water, as if looking for the hordes of fish. He breathed. Killua thought for a second that the rumors were true. Fishermen on the islands can just look out into the water and can tell when there are schools of fish swimming about. The man sucked in a breath and turned his head, "this way." He was in the zone. Maybe it was some form of nen? Or from years of fishing? Killua didn't really think much about it, until the man slowed down from walking and placed the supplies down, "there's a lot here."

The man showed Killua how to wrap an elodea around a fish hook, nice and tight. Killua had no trouble casting the line, meters out into the water. The man silently applauded him.

"Nice casting."

"Thanks, I have a friend who likes fishing. He taught me."

"He must be an excellent fisherman, only so few can cast a line out that deep. It takes a ton of practicing," he said. Killua's cat like ears perked up from the compliment.

Within a matter of seconds the floaty dunked down into the matter and Killua's fishing line was tugging hard. There was something on the end of his line, and it was big. He reeled in a 5 foot fish with large buck teeth.

"Amazing, several more of those, maybe a little larger and we'll be ready to go."

"Seriously?!" Killua looked at the fish with horse like teeth. It eyed him back with those marble like eyes that never blink. "You said that Yanny helps you, does he work for you?"

The man shook his head, "Yanny is a good man, and I've known his family for years. He's a friend of Illena's, but after his family passed due to an untimely death," he looked up towards the clouds and put his hands together for a quick prayer, "we took him in as part of the family."

"Was it from the rebels?"

The man sadly nodded, he couldn't say more, his voice wouldn't allow him too. After they reeled in more 5 foot long fish, wrapped more elodea back unto the hooks and repeated the process all over again. They truly caught a feast worthy of a king's dinner.

They used a cart to wheel their horde through the village. Killua was convinced the rumors about the fishermen were true, however odd they may be. He guessed there were more people like Gon out in the world, highly tuned into nature. As they passed houses, there were several pictures of the same people in the windows. A family of a mother, father, two sons, and one daughter. The man caught Killua staring at them and spoke up.

"That's the Sierren family, the aristocratic family that governed the northern islands." The man said. Killua knew a little bit of the history and political turmoil of Kukan'yu before accepting his job of rescuing refugees. Before the rebels broke out with their uprisings, each island was ruled by aristocrats. Aristocracy is different from the monarchy that is used in the Kukan'yu Mainland. Only one person rules the entire nation, but here the islands have several families that govern them. All power is held in the hands of a select group of privileged people, mostly those with big wallets. Killua knew that some of these families abused their power which was part of the reason for the rebel uprisings in the first place.

Something confusing stirred inside him, the way these photographs were placed lavishly on the windows of homes and shops with flowers and lit candles placed in front of them. They were paying respect to these people. Why?

"Didn't these families abuse their power? Why pay respect to them if that's the case?

"The Sierren's were good people. They listened to the needs of their citizens, they didn't abuse their power unlike most of the families. Korren, was the governor in charge of the northern islands, he was a good man. He was the first to try and join hands with the mainland, before the rebel outbursts claimed his citizens. They took out every family starting in the east islands. When they came here to the north, they gave the family two options, leave or die. Korren couldn't leave the people in the hands of those barbarians. He did the best he could do and died that night. All of them died that night."

Killua looked at another photo, a close up of the daughter. She looked about 14 years old, and had vibrant blue hair. It shined like waves washing onto the shores of the bay. Her eyes were red like rubies, glistening like the sun.

"Their eldest child was Madrid, unlike the rest of the family, her body was never found." He gave another prayer when they passed another site in homage of the deceased family. "The youngest son was found dead on the beach, one of their rowboats was missing. Rumors say Madrid somehow miraculously survived."

"Do you believe them? The rumors?"

"They are only rumors, it's silly to have hope in them, but I do."

When they arrived at a neighbor to barter for animal feed, the aura became tense. Business was being conducted. The man made sure they weren't cheated for the hoard of fish they traded for. They even got extra jars of honey and a bottle of fresh made red wine as extra payment along with the bundles of feed.

On the walk back, the sun was setting. Colors of pink and orange dyed the clouds that floated in the sky. Killua wheeled the wagon while the man casually walked alongside of him.

"Let's rest here." He took out the bottle of wine and poured some into a moon shell, using it as a cup to drink the red liquid. He passed the cup to Killua and drank its contents.

They looked at the sunset, the sun burning bright red.

"It's beautiful here." Killua unexpectedly said.

The man nodded, and sadly smiled, "It is beautiful here, but it's too bad some people had to ruin it."

The sun drowned in the darkness.

* * *

 **Hello! Thank you for reading chapter 6 of my fanfic, I really appreciate it. *bow***

 **Here, a little more of the history, political families, and culture are given about the islands. Plus, an update of all the cool and awesome things that Gon and Alluka are doing. Both Gon and Killua's plots are going to intertwine, I swear, its not random at all! I hope that wasn't boring *gulp***

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and let me know what you think. See you all later!**

 **Bye bye!**


	7. Chapter 7: Leaving x on the x Cenberry

**Chapter 7: Leaving x on the x Cenberry**

Days past with no news from Kuff Lawrent or any other hunter forwarding information to Killua about any rescue attempt in the North Islands. Killua knew the gist of how things worked amongst the hunters. Days of departure to the islands were random so the rebels couldn't predict their plans and stop them beforehand. Arrivals on the shores were short and brief, quick and silent. They slither in towards the shores like snakes, picking up whoever was ready to leave, then leave not waiting for more. Whoever was late or didn't come out on time, had to wait until the next deploy of hunters. Whenever that would be.

Killua and his comrades experienced these occurrences many times before. There were small windows of opportunities for them to succeed and bring refugees to the mainland. Killua now experienced the reverse first hand, his comrades left him behind among the burning village with the wailing baby. He remembered seeing the scared looks on the people's faces. They didn't want the baby's cries to reveal their location, with the rebels treading behind them.

In the meantime, Killua helped with the chores around the house. This wasn't to his dismay, he liked to be kept busy. He caught fish, sheered sheep, made wine, and bartered for feed and other goods with fellow neighbors. His smooth talking swimmingly came in handy. All those years of making ransom calls finally paid off. The father was extremely impressed.

"The key is to show them that we don't need their business, we have better options hanging in front of us. Since we have what they need, they'll then feel inclined to get back our attention, subsiding to our demands," Killua caught the last word he said, an old habit from his assassination days, "to our _offers._ "

The father nodded his head appreciatively. "You could be a traveling merchant. No one will cheat you out of a deal."

 _And no one ever has_ , thought Killua.

But the days kept grinding down on him, waiting for a notification from Kuff. The sun was beating down on the earth heavily today. Its warmth penetrated through the sky, clouds, and land. Fractures of light shimmered on the water and blades of grass. Killua could feel his shirt sticking to his skin, and sweat trickling down his neck. He let out a sigh.

He grabbed the ends of his shirt and lifted it up, passing his stomach, chest, and then shoulders. When he finally lifted it above his face, Illena was standing a few feet away from him. She was holding a basket of clothing that finished baking in the warmth of the sun and immediately turning her back to him, hiding her flustered face. Her shoulders tensed upward.

Killua saw the basket of freshly dried clothing, "Can I have one?"

Illena didn't turn her back, but she mumbled something of a slightly incoherent 'yes.' She quickly tossed a shirt over her shoulder, high in the air. It fluttered down several inches from where Killua was standing, but he easily caught it before it hit the ground.

"Thank you."

Illena mumbled something of an incoherent 'you're welcome.' She scurried back into the house. Her face still flustered. As she passed through the screen door, Yanny emerged, with a limp in his step. Still recovering from his brawl with the rebels several nights ago.

"Why's your face all red?" He placed the back of his hand to her forehead, "It feels like you have a fever."

Illena scoffed and angrily walked back into the house, and fiercely closed the door behind her. The hinges on the door irritably squeaked, and a few chips of paint fell off the wall from the impact.

"I only wanted to know if you were okay." Yanny said in defense. Illena peered through the screen door, looking at a crochet version of the world. Not until, she had a change of heart, and opened the door a second time, flinging a towel at Yanny with all her might. "Wha-What did I do?!" He exclaimed. He looked at Killua, baffled, hoping he would explain the unexplainable occurrence.

"Don't look at me," Killua shrugged. "I have no idea."

Yanny sat down on the porch, confused. He looked up towards the sky aggravated, "Why!" he shouted. He said it to no one in particular, but Killua was the only one there beside him. He would be stuck in this entangling conversation. Maybe if he quickly walked into the fields to watch the sheep, he could get out of this situation. Killua took one step away and Yanny began to talk. He cursed under his breath.

"Is there something troubling your mind?" Killua said, exasperated.

"Can't she just talk to me like how we used to."

"I haven't been here long enough to really know in depth of your relationship, but hey, make it work," alright, that was a subtle and yet neutral response to scurry out of this conversation. Killua took a few steps back, until Yanny gestured with his hands. He had another question that needed an answer. Only one that Killua could give.

"Does she hate me?"

"Illena?"

Yanny nodded, fearing Killua's response.

"No, I don't think so. I mean, you could turn it around and say that she threw that towel at you quite _affectionately._ " Killua laughed out the word. It is how people see the situation that can hold different perspectives. He could list a thousand different ways of Illena wanting to ring Yanny's neck with that towel, it's all about perspective.

"I always offer to help her and then she always shoos me away like I'm some pest or something."

"She'll come around, eventually." Killua snorted. Not really thinking she ever would.

"What am I doing wrong?" Yanny looked up at Killua with sad, puppy dog eyes. It reminded him of Gon. How on earth someone that innocent even existed, boggled him. Killua felt an artery burst in his brain. The resemblance to Gon was uncanny.

"You're making her feel useless, that's what you're doing."

"I want to show that I'm grateful to be taken in by her family. They didn't have to do that for me."

Killua dipped his head to the side, "That's all?"

"And…that I care for Illena too, a lot." Yanny leaned his head into his crisscrossed arms, muffling his response. Yanny is a hopeless idiot in love. Killua shook his head, disapprovingly.

"She's a tough girl, she can take care of herself. Like during that rebel attack, fire was burning in her eyes. I swear, she was going to claw that guy's eyes out."

"She probably thinks I'm an even bigger loser." Yanny wiped his hand on his face, trying to push away his anxiety. "I couldn't even protect her."

"Give her space, if she comes back around towards you then celebrate, if not you always have the sheep to keep you company."

Yanny's jaw dropped.

"They're fluffy, don't talk back to you only with the occasional neigh, and are always up for cuddles." Killua laughed. Only intensifying Yanny's unwavering feelings. Suddenly the door flung open, Yanny turned around and could have sworn that a demon with red eyes and horns was staring down on him, incinerating him in his seat. It was only Illena.

"I can hear you both talking about me from inside the house! Get a new hobby!" With that said, she relentlessly hurled the entire basket of clothing at Yanny. He was caught off guard, venting his feelings to Killua. Now he was impaled by bloomers and trousers from head to toe.

"But we can't help it," said Killua, "You're so lovable."

Illena was scouring the ground, looking for another item to throw. Instead, she took off her shoe and hurled it at Yanny.

"Why only me?! He deserves one two! Throw something at him!" He pointed to Killua, trying to end these relentless attacks directed solely towards himself.

"No, you started this conversation." Killua smirked, "I am simply an innocent bystander." He held up his hands in the air, feigning innocence.

They heard laughter coming from the fields where the sheep graze.

The little kids were pretending to do their chores, but they were horrible at it. They weren't secretive about hiding their horseplay and jubilant laughter. They were running through the fields, playing tag among the sheep. Using the sheep as obstacles to avoid one another while the other ran around them. The sheep were munching on the grass, they could care less.

Suddenly, the sound of crying cut through the laughter, the mother opened the door with one arm, while holding the baby with the other. Its face was all red and scrunched up, with tears jetting down its plump cheeks. It had its arms outreached towards Killua.

"I think he wants you," she said.

Killua complied and cradled the baby, but it was still crying. An idea flickered in his head, he walked over to Yanny and plucked off a small cloth from his head. "Don't mind me."

He sat down on the porch steps, balancing the child with one arm and holding the cloth in the other. Killua put the cloth over his own face, and waited a couple of seconds before unveiling himself.

"Surprise!" Killua whipped the cloth from his face, crisscrossing his eyes with a ridiculous smile. The tears slowed from the baby's face, un-scrunching his eyes and mouth. A smile was beginning to form. Killua covered his face with the cloth again, waiting a couple more seconds, and then unveiling himself. Revealing an absurd face mimicking a pig. A smile broke out from the baby. Killua placed the cloth over his face again, and the little one couldn't hold in its curiosity. What silly face will the man make again? It cumbersomely reached towards the cloth, wanting to unveil the face himself. Killua felt the baby's fingers fumbling at his nose, trying to grip the cloth. "Don't ruin my act." The baby laughed when Killua revealed yet another comical face, borderline resembling a walrus.

Yanny walked over and kneeled at the baby, and tried making a funny face himself.

The baby frowned, unimpressed.

Killua laughed.

And Yanny sulked on the porch steps with his basket of laundry.

"I'm sorry Yanny, but not everyone has the gift," laughed Killua. He remembered fondly of his childhood. Him playing with Alluka in their little sandbox in their backyard that became much more than just a box of dirt. It became a vast dessert or an ice cold tundra or the crater filled surface of the moon or all of them put together. What adventures they would travel and risk themselves in. Of course they would bring snacks with them, what kind of astronaut-eskimo-explorers don't. Alluka always loved Killua's funny faces. It was a sure fire way to make her smile.

From the corner of Killua's eye, he saw the children frolicking in the fields, holding something. Something that belonged to him. It was his communicator and he swore he heard the hazy static of a connection coming through. The kids squealed with laughter and started talking into the microphone. "Hello, who's this?"

"This is dispatch leader, Kuff Lawrent, leader of the B-9 group. Is a receiver on the line?"

The kids jumped up with glee, "Hi! Are you a secret agent?"

"What? Who's this?"

"Do you have those cool gadgets like in all those spy movies? You're voice sounds funny." They laughed.

"What-I barely know you."

Adrenaline spiked in his veins. Killua immediately ran up to the kids and clutched his communicator out of their hands. They frowned. "Kuff-Kuff, it's me, Killua. Leader of the T-18 group."

"Ah-right. Where are you located?"

"I'm near Kalamati."

"Good, there will be another rescue attempt at midnight tonight. Don't miss it." Kuff's voice fizzed out, leaving empty static behind him. Another rescue attempt. Tonight.

Killua looked back to the house, basking in the warmth of the sun. It had a sunny golden halo surrounding it. He saw Yanny and Illena having a conversation and it looked like Illena was winning. Killua held the baby in his arms, he was looking up at him with his amethyst eyes. Something stirred in Killua, telling him not to leave, but he shooed it away. He would be leaving tonight.

It would be up to Killua to figure out the rest of the details.

* * *

"You're leaving?" asked Yanny.

The sun was setting and they were all inside the house, sitting at the kitchen table. The one where Killua shared many meals with the family. Kerosene lamps brightened up the room from the inevitable arrival of the darkness, nightfall. He was beginning to think he overindulged in this fantasy. A simple family that loved each other. He wasn't part of this world.

"There will be a boat taking refugees to the mainland tonight in Kalamati," he looked at the baby, "and we're leaving with it." Yanny nodded, knowing all too well that many people left the islands to escape persecution. Killua felt a twinge in his stomach, "If any of you want to come with me, you can. If not, I don't know when another attempt will be made."

The room fell silent, then Illena spoke up, "We should all go with Killua, we've seen what the rebels are capable of and they're not stopping anytime soon." All eyes fell onto her, she was right, but silence still slithered in the room.

"Will we even be able to make out a life out in the mainland, it's not exactly a perfect kingdom," said the father.

"It's better than here."

"And how do you know," he paused, "my grandparents grew up here, my parents lived in this house, I was born and raised here, and I will die here," he said furiously. He looked at his family, hoping to see sympathy in their eyes. It wasn't there. The little boy started crying, trying to hold in his tears with forced breaths.

"I don't want to force anyone to make that decision," said Killua. "But it isn't safe here, Illena is right, you'll have better chances in the mainland. It's not perfect, but it's the best for now." Killua held the baby in his arms. "If you want a safer future for your family, this is a small window of opportunity and I don't know when another one will arrive."

Shortly after, the family packed their belongings, which wasn't much to begin with. Traveling light was their best option anyway. When the family was ready to leave, Killua would be escorting more refugees to the harbor, hopefully they will all make it there.

The baby was bobbing up and down in Killua's arms, a smile was spreading on its face, unaware of the seriousness of the situation. Killua looked at the little one, with sad eyes and stroked its back, _you'll be with your family soon_ , he thought.

Gradually, baby's smile faltered, and then it turned into a frown. It leaned its head in towards the crook of Killua's neck, its face scrunched up quickly. It gripped Killua's shirt. He was wailing profusely. Killua didn't understand what could unsettle the infant so quickly.

Suddenly, Killua felt a strange quality to the air, it felt heavy and intense. He concentrated his aura into En and found bizarre nen approaching the home. He could tell that it was a belligerent group of people, no more than 20. It was nightfall, and all the kerosene lamps in the house were ablaze. The only lit home in miles of empty dark fields. They were a lamp post attracting flies.

They heard the guard dogs barking.

Hurriedly, but too late, they blew out the flames of the lamps. The smoke drifted through the air then disappeared. If only they could too. Killua carefully peered out the window and saw shady figures of men bearing weapons, silhouettes of them were produced from their own lit torches. Unpleasant language could be he heard from the outside, the mother covered the children's ears. Suddenly a lit flame was thrown in the house through the window, shattering the glass. Spreading the broken shards and flames across the tile floor.

"Through the back door!" said the father, he picked up his youngest child, and the mother gripped hands with both her kids. They all ran outside through the screen door, its squeaking sound from the hinges was not in their favor. Yanny held Illena tightly as they ran out through the fields, escaping. All of a sudden, Illena pushed away from Yanny, but he still held on to her. He wouldn't let go.

"Yanny!" She looked at him with desperate eyes.

"I won't let you get hurt!" As he said that, he saw the fiery determination in her eyes. She was scared, definitely scared, but was still brave. Knowing the consequences for her actions. Every muscle in Yanny's body told him to hold on to Illena, not let go of his most precious friend. It hurt him so much to let go of her hand.

Illena ran with all her might to their pack of guard dogs tide with ropes outside the barn. Her dress flapped against the wind, beating against the long strands of grain growing in the field. The dogs were growling and snarling and bearing their fangs to the intruders. The only thing holding them back from working their jaws on fresh meat was the rope around their necks, tide to the barn door. Every muscle was aching in her body, she refused to slow her movements when she heard shots being fired. The dogs didn't attack Illena as she dashed beside them, they knew her for years. She was a pleasant human to them. She quickly untied the ropes, immediately unleashing the built up fiery within the dogs. As if she was the catalyst to this reaction, the dogs sprinted from their posts, free from their shackled leashes.

The guard dogs were in charge of protecting the livestock of the barn, the cows, pigs, sheep, and chickens from harm. They were also in charge of protecting their owners, the ones who raised them since they were pups. This was their last job to this family. They would perform diligently and swiftly. They bared their fangs and pierced flesh.

Killua decided that he liked those dogs.

Illena ran back to Yanny and the others, as soon she reached them, Yanny embraced her with open arms. Their embrace was short lived, as they started to run away from their home, now bearing flames reaching towards the darkened sky.

They receded into the woods. More shots and screams could he heard. They were fleeing a place that was once their home, now becoming the candle wick of the ever growing flame.

* * *

When they reached the harbor in Kalamati, the place where Kuff told Killua that there would be a rescuing of refugees tonight. He and the rest of the family waited in the shrouds of houses. Killua directed them silently closer to the harbor. He received another notification in his ear piece that a boat would be arriving shortly. They observed the water of the bay, shimmering in the moonlight. There was no fog, so there will be no camouflage tonight. Then he saw ripples in the water, slowly building up, then oars, then boats, and then fellow hunters. The hunters emerged from the shores, and Killua stalked up with his crew.

Killua flashed the oarsmen his hunter license, and evidence stating that he was a dispatch leader in the Kukan'yu expedition team. To his surprise, it was Kuff Lawrent, the guy who really couldn't take a joke in this line of work. He was short, but brawny and had slick black hair that was starting to thin hidden under a cap. He silently nodded to Killua, and all of them boarded the boat.

"It was about time," said Killua, snarky.

"Take it up with management if you're so displeased," said Kuff. Then he looked at the infant in Killua's arms. He raised an eyebrow for a brief moment then continued rowing.

The boat rocked against the waves, as it was being rowed by Kuff. Clumps of elodeas clumped onto the oars with every push and pull against the waves. Kuff scoffed. Killua held the baby within his arms, it stopped crying since the rebels set the home on fire. The father, mother and children stayed silent on the boat. Yanny and Illena were sitting next to each other, closely. She leaned into him as he was caressing her shoulder. They knew they would never be returning to their farm house again.

Killua could see the ship in the distance, floating on the waves in the harbor. They were almost there. Their escape to freedom. Suddenly a bright, white flash went off in the corner of his eye. The waves burst with energy, toppling their boat upside down. Killua and the others were lunged into the water, air bubbles flittering around them. Under the water, Killua held his breath and could hear muffled screams. He swam up towards the surface, holding the baby even tighter. Waves splashed against his face. Screaming was all around him. Explosions were going off in the water by the dozens. Rebels stormed the shores of the water, throwing in explosives.

Another group of refugees that were in still in close reach to the shore became prey to the monsters.

Killua looked around, being pushed and pulled against the torrent waves. The family was floating at the surface, and they looked scared. A lifeboat from the main ship leveled down into the water. Killua screamed at them, "Swim towards the ship!"

They followed swiftly as told by Killua. He did a side stroke in the water, holding the tot in one arm, while the other was propelling him through the water. The little one was crying, it did not like the water. A lifeboat, this time with an engine, steered towards them, first picking up the family then Killua and the baby.

As they pulled him in, Killua sank down to the floor of the boat, lying with this back on the ground, and his chest heaving up and down. He was taking in long, deep breaths. Then he immediately sat back up and patted the baby's back. It was coughing up water. Killua relaxed when the baby started crying again, with its lungs inhaling and exhaling. It was breathing. He brought up the child closer towards himself, to his heart. He nestled its head against his ear, caressing the little one's back.

"It's okay, it's okay, everything's fine," he was saying to reassure not only the baby, but himself. He never knew how fragile life could be and how easily it could be lost, until now.

* * *

Killua stood in line at the Human Resources sector of the refugee camp. He swore he waited in line for hours, until his number was called. When he first arrived, he and the baby were soaked from head to toe in water, and water weeds clung to their skin from their early morning dip. He snatched a towel and wrapped it around the little one, the fans in the room were working excellently, propelling cold air throughout the crowded rooms. He made sure to wrap the towel thoroughly around the infant, not wanting it to catch a cold.

Killua's clothing dripped water onto the floor, drip after drip, and the person's behind him rolled their eyes, frustrated not only with the long wait they had to endure, but also the slippery wet floor made by the young man. Killua glared at them. They backed off.

Yanny, Illena, and the rest of the family parted ways with Killua. They were, luckily, left uninjured from the events, only left with minor cuts and bruises. They thanked Killua for helping them, then said their goodbyes.

When Killua's number was called, he walked in front of a receptionist with overly painted nails and a giant cup of coffee in front of her. It had bright red lipstick stains at the rim of the cup, there was even a stack of empty cups beside her. This was not her first cup of coffee and from the tired look on her face with bags under her eyes, it was definitely not her last either.

"Hello, Mr.…"

"Killua."

"Right. You put in a request, ugh….." she looked over her giant stack of papers trying to organize her hazy thoughts. Her name tag read _Loraine._ Loraine has worked non-stop in the Human Resources department for a full eight hours without a break. She was exhausted. Dreadfully exhausted. She looked over to see yet another full room of person's she had to meet with, she lifted up her glasses, she sighed.

"It was an hour ago, I put in a request wanting to find out if anyone enlisted a missing person's report for an infant," he said, irritated. Despite the hustle and bustling of the lobby, the baby was fast asleep.

Loraine looked back at her files, clicked and scrolled through some documents on her computer. "From the East Islands?" she asked.

"No, the West Islands. A little baby boy, eight months old, with gray-purple-ish eyes. Amethyst eyes, if that helps."

Loraine huffed then looked back to the screen, typing in more buttons. "No such reports have been made."

"Try looking again," he demanded.

Loraine sighed, but did another attempt at searching for such a report. Again, she said, "I did a second search, and no reports have been made. Since that child has no legal guardians left, take him to the children's homestead, they'll assist you from there." She stamped Killua's number card. "Next!"

When Killua arrived at the Children's Homestead, he thought that the woman should have said orphanage. That's what this place was. The room was crowded with children, each with blank stares on their faces.

When Killua met with another receptionist, the man spoke up. "Hello, how can I help you?"

Killua gulped, "I found this infant all alone in the Kukan'yu Islands." He gestured to the sleeping baby. "First I went to Human Resources, but they couldn't find any traces of family members for him."

"No one claimed him?"

"Yes."

"We have lots of abandoned children that come from the Islands," the receptionist sadly said. The word _abandoned_ stung in Killua's mind. Killua looked back at the children sitting about, they were there, but virtually lifeless. "You said that child has no more family left."

"Yes."

"Than the child is now legal property of the Kukan'yu Kingdom." The receptionist reached out his arms towards the baby to take him, "He'll be placed here in the Homestead."

Killua didn't move his arms, stiff as a statue, "And then what will happen?" The baby sluggishly opened its eyes and yawned. It tried stretching its arms above its head. Killua looked down then back up at the receptionist.

"Hopefully, an adoption will come around, he is an infant, so his chances are pretty high."

"High? Rebel outbursts are occurring here in the Kukan'yu Kingdom too. Who the hell is going to adopt him?" He said infuriatedly.

The receptionist was silent, he had nothing to say.

Killua looked around the room to see children, victims of war. The rooms have overreached their limit capacity, but that didn't stop the amount of children piling up in them. He even heard muffled cries.

The receptionist still had his arms outreached to grab the baby, Killua hesitantly reached out his arms. Then the baby smiled up at him, and in that moment he couldn't allow himself to hand over the child, sending him here. To lose his smile. To be all alone. To become like Killua, himself.

He pulled back his arms, with the baby tight in them.

"Actually, can I see those papers over there?"

The receptionist complied.

* * *

Killua bought two tickets for the _cenberry_ train, leading out of Kukan'yu Kingdom. He sat on a red plush bench made of dark brown wood with another empty bench facing across from him. The rumbling of the engine resonated through the empty rows. Morning was arriving and there were barely any passengers on the train, except for the few really early morning stragglers.

Faded blue light was shining through the window, reflecting off of Killua's hair and face. The baby was wide awake, and was smiling up at Killua. He gently touched strands of Killua's hair, not tugging on them at all. Just brushing. Just smiling.

Killua just now noticed that the baby and he had strands and leaves of water weeds, elodeas stuck to their skin, Killua plucked some out of his hair, and saw one on the little one's face. He removed the leaf.

Before, while returning back to the Human Resources center, and Children's Homestead, Killua filled out two lengthy documents. Much to Loraine's dismay of having to deal with another client, he submitted his resignation letter for the Kukan'yu Expedition Team. At the Children's Homestead, it took him a while to finish all that lengthy paperwork, but he was able to submit the adoption form within a few hours.

Killua removed another water weed from the baby's face.

An elderly woman was wobbling up the aisle, until she stopped and spotted the adorable little baby. She turned towards Killua and smiled, "What a beautiful child you have."

"Thank you."

"What's its name?"

"Elodea." Killua looked down towards him and smiled. "His name is Elodea."

In the kingdom full of political rebellions, beautiful flora, and water weeds as far as the eye can see; the _cenberry_ train left Kukan'yu that morning carrying two important passengers on it.

Killua, and his son, Elodea.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Part 1 has ended, now part 2 has officially begun!**

 **I cried a little when I wrote this T.T ( but then again, I'm a sensitive person and cry to almost everything...) I've been holding in the baby's name for so long, it was killing me! ah, but I'm really happy now that the cat is out of the bag XD**

 **Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and faving. I really appreciate it.**


	8. Chapter 8 Dandelions x in the x Bouquet

**Chapter 8: Dandelions x in the x Bouquet**

The chapel was completely filled.

It seemed that everyone from Whale Island was going to attend this wedding. The priest himself was not surprised. Everyone on the island has seen Gon grow up since he was a little baby, loved by his Aunt Mito and grandmother. He was a delight from day one arriving onto the island. From the fishermen to the merchants to the old grannies who pinched his cheeks.

The chapel was small, so many people who came late had to stand outside, looking through the sheer windows and hearing the service from the outside. This was more exciting than one of those expensive, celebrity weddings recorded on national television. The only people who attended those kind of weddings are the family and people who wish they were a part of the wealthy family, hoping to get a cut from the family fortune, with zero real love detected within miles of the ceremony. Hoping to get their faces in the lens of the camera, for their 5 seconds of fame. That's goes for the bride and groom too….they only end up getting a divorce three months later, splitting each other's assets of course.

Killua looked outside the chapel to see people setting up chairs and umbrellas to watch the ceremony in the blistering sun and already having baskets of rice to toss at the newlyweds into the air once they parade out of the church, celebrating the marriage.

 _Gon sure is popular_ , thought Killua.

The wedding was about to start soon, not only were the island residents attending the joyful event, but also hunters from the association. Gon was beloved wherever he went and after making a comeback at the Hunter Election years ago, that just cemented the majority of many hunters' feelings about him. There was Morel, Knov, Palm, Knuckle, and Shoot sitting in one tight pew together. Palm was giving Knov playful fluttering glances. Killua rolled his eyes.

Wing, Zushi, and Biscuit were here as well. Wing looked as disheveled as ever, with his white shirt sticking out from underneath his grey jacket. Zushi has definitely grown up. Handsome in his tuxedo, and he was taller and held confidence in his stance. Although, his light brown hair was getting a little longer, passing his ears. Wing's untidiness is rubbing off on his apprentice. Biscuit was wearing a hot pink dress with a feathered boa, looking as young as ever….nothing has changed.

Killua saw some hunters he didn't even recognize, but were invited to the event for some strange reason. Well, once news that Gon was getting married to Alluka, the news spread like wild fire throughout the entire hunter association. People just started inviting themselves. Mito was sitting in the front row angrily eyeing Ging, Gon's father. The tension between them did not fade with time, well, mostly on Mito's side anyway.

Leorio leaned in and whispered into Killua's ear, "It's really a mad house, I'm so glad we came early."

"I was surprised I was even able to wake up early this morning," Killua yawned. "Thought I was going to sleep right through the ceremony."

"Huh? Pulling another all-nighter again?"

"Yeah, he always wakes up in the middle of the night, and it takes a while to put him back to sleep."

"Why is that?"

"He's afraid of the dark."

Leorio snorted.

Killua punched him in the arm.

"Ow, don't ruin the suit. It's a rental."

"So your dreams of becoming a snobby multimillionaire haven't come true yet?"

"That's out of the question when I'm seeing patients for free." Leorio patted down the wrinkles in his suit, flattening out the creases. Leorio is a thriving pediatrician, curing childrens diseases, and the parents don't have to pay, not even a penny. "That's handsome multimillionaire to you."

"You don't need to be a millionaire to be handsome," Killua grinned than looked over his shoulder to the door behind the pews. "I'm going to see Alluka, want to come with me?"

"No, it's okay. I'll save your seat for you. You don't know when a stray vulture will come swooping in."

"Alright, thanks."

"No problem," Leorio gave a thumbs up. When Killua got up from his seat, people were already eyeing the empty space to sit in on the wedding. Leorio put his guard up, intensifying his nen, ready for combat.

Killua got up from his pew and maneuvered between the hordes of people stuffed in the chapel like a can of sardines. He walked to the back room, where the bride was getting ready. Before he knocked on the door, he stopped by a mirror, and straightened his tie. Then he turned around, seeing a little shadow running up towards him from his periphery.

"Daddy!" Elodea, barely 3 feet tall, came wobbling into the room holding in his hand a little bouquet of wild flowers that miscellaneously grew outside the chapel. Lots of dandelions and wishing flowers. Killua bent down with Elodea crashing into his arms. He picked up the toddler balancing him on the side of his hip. Kurapika came trailing in right behind the toddler.

"We were outside picking flowers."

"Thanks for watching him." Killua looked back at the toddler, "Elodea, tell Kurapika how old you are."

"Pika-chu," Elodea pointed to Kurapika, confused. Since the first day Elodea met Kurapika, and tried speaking his name; one connection solidly went through the little one's head. Kurapika has been reduced to a Pokémon, and the nickname was not planning to go away any time soon.

"Yes, that's right. Tell Pikachu how old you are." Killua laughed.

"two-two," Elodea held up two fingers, along with giving his response.

"Good boy," said Killua. It's been a little more than a year, since Killua adopted his son, Elodea, from Kukan'yu Kingdom. Elodea recently turned two years old. He was a joy, but it wasn't all peaches and cream for the first time father. The sleepless nights trying to soothe his crying son or the temper tantrums erupting out of nowhere or managing his hunter job while caring for his son all by himself. Although, he was lucky to have Alluka, Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika. They would always watch Elodea when he needed to go away for a while on a job, making sure Elodea was eating the right amount of food, if he was eating too little, and sleeping enough. That he is safe, he always made sure that Elodea was safe. And happy.

Kurapika reached into his pockets of his tuxedo, revealing wonderful yellow flowers picked by little hands.

"He gave you flowers to put in your pockets."

"I have enough for my own bouquet."

" _You little rascal_ ," Killua said to his son. Elodea brightly smiled from his mischievousness. "Yeah, he does that all the time, I think I still I have acorns in mine." Killua reached into his back pocket, revealing indeed, an acorn with a few crisp leaves. They were once green when they were plucked by Elodea, back at Mito's house. "Yep, they're there."

"I'll see you inside," Kurapika looked over to see Leorio warding off other people wanting his empty seats, punches were going to be thrown. Kurapika sighed, "I'm going to stop Leorio from making an even bigger idiot out of himself." Kurapika was going to walk off, until Elodea reached out with another flower in his hand towards him. Kurapika smiled and gently placed the flower in his pocket, as if it would crumble from a single touch.

Killua was about to knock on the door, until he heard the muffled sounds of crying. He silently stood on the other side of the door, listening.

"Do you love her?" asked Alluka, trying to soften her tears.

"Of course I do." Gon grabbed both of Alluka's hands, tenderly, "ever since the first day I saw her, it was love at first sight."

"Do you really mean that?"

"I love her, as much as I love you."

"What if she comes back? Will you still feel the same way about me?"

"Alluka, you and Nanika are one and the same. Nothing in the world will drag me away from you both."

 _Phew_ , thought Killua. For a couple of seconds, he forget who Gon was talking about. Thank goodness he just realized that, or he was going to burst through the door and shove the bouquet of wildflowers down Gon's throat. He also just realized that he yanked the door knob clean out of its hole, a couple of splinters were sticking out from wooden door. He elegantly shoved it in a flower pot, when no one was looking. Gon had known Nanika for a few years until she fallen into a deep sleep and hasn't woken up since. Despite that, he knew Gon's feelings are pure and genuine. When Nanika was still awake years ago, one day she asked for Gon to give her his heart. Killua jumped, surprised at the request. Gon simply responded before Killua could intervene. He said, and Killua still remembered those words that came out of Gon's mouth, _'I already gave you my heart.'_

Alluka tried to restrain her crying, "Anyway, you're not supposed to be here in my room. Its bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding."

"My eyes are closed, so I haven't broken any rules." Gon smiled, throughout the entire conversation with his soon to be wife, his eyes were closed. Alluka laughed.

"I guess that makes it okay than," she smiled through her sniffles and tears.

"Ah! Here, use my sleeve," Gon, with his eyes closed, brought up his sleeve of his fine, black tuxedo to Alluka's eyes so she could wipe away her tears.

Killua swung open the door cradling Elodea on his hip. Elodea was the first one to break the ice with a nice, high pitched greeting used in many casual conversations among close friends, "Hi." Excellent discussion starter. Killua looked at his sister from head to toe, and thought she was the epitome of everything beautiful in life. She wore a simple white wedding gown with lace around her arms and neck, it made her look modest and classy. Her hair grew out longer, passing her waist and was styled into a braid. Although, he did chuckle a bit at Gon wiping away Alluka's tears with his jacket sleeve. They were both sitting down next to each other, adorably.

Elodea kicked his legs, which told Killua that he wanted to get down and start walking. Elodea wobbled up to Alluka and handed her his bouquet of flowers he handpicked that morning just for her. He tried to stand up taller on his tip toes, but that didn't help much, so Killua came up behind him and lifted him up so he could give Alluka a kiss on the cheek. He loved his aunt Alluka, dearly.

"Thank you." She placed the dandelions and wishing flowers into her own bouquet that she would be walking down the aisle holding. The yellow flowers stood out from the white ones, carefully styled by a florist. It looked perfect.

"The ceremony is about to start soon," Killua said.

"Ah, right," Alluka said, wiping away the last of her tears with Gon's sleeve. She stood up and dusted off her dress. Gon was about to lean into her to give her a goodbye kiss, but then stepped back.

"Sorry, that's after we say 'I do.'" Gon tried to correct himself. Instead he blew her a kiss and she grabbed it in the air. Gon, still with his eyes closed, accidentally walked into the wall just a few inches away from the door. Then he felt around and safely made it through the portal leading to the chapel. Along with him, Gon held Elodea's hand escorting him back to the church. Elodea waved, with some dandelions dangling from his pockets as well. Killua smirked than turned to his sister.

"Are you sure you want to marry that?"

She nudged him in the arm.

"Shall we." Killua reached out his elbow for Alluka to hold on to and she happily took it.

Gon was standing at the altar and his eyes lit up when he saw Alluka as the doors opened. The music began to play and everyone turned around to see the bride walking down the aisle, arm and arm with the man who would give her away, her brother.

The violins and cellos vibrated whimsical notes through the walls of the chapel that captivated everyone. All eyes were on Alluka, but her eyes were glued solely onto Gon, and so were his. Carefully choreographed, they walked one step at a time, in rhythm with the music.

Killua whispered into Alluka's ear, "You're beautiful."

Alluka blushed under her veil, "Thank you."

"Of course, you get your good looks from me."

"Thank you," she looked up at him, "for being my brother."

"I'm the lucky fool to have a sister like you. Now you're going to make another fool the luckiest man in the world."

Alluka started to cry again.

"You know, whatever happens. I'll always be here to kick Gon's butt, if need be."

She laughed.

When they reached the altar, Killua lifted the veil off Alluka. Revealing his beautiful sister. He looked at Gon, who was trying to hold in his tears as well. Killua kissed Alluka then placed her hand into Gon's. He nodded at Gon, then let go of Alluka's hand.

Hand in hand, Gon and Alluka walked up the altar together. Their first steps as husband and wife.

* * *

The sun was setting and light was flickering on and off the ocean's waves. The tide has gone down, leaving long stretches of shallow water, revealing pretty little shells and ocean critters. You could walk out 10 feet and the water level would still be up to your ankles. The water was practically still, expect for the few silver side fish that jumped out of the water, leaving cascading ripples behind them.

He saw Elodea running ahead of him, squealing, and searching the ground. Killua distinctly remembered during the ceremony, that Elodea walked up in the aisle during the 'I do's' and if anyone had any objections. He was tired from sitting so long and just had to stretch his legs. Killua only looked away for 5 seconds, to see Elodea in the middle of the aisle. The priest looked at him, raised an eyebrow, and confusedly asked, "Do you object to this union?" Everyone started laughing, then Killua quickly speed walked to get the toddler. Elodea waved goodbye, and the priest sheepishly waved back. Obviously, this has never happened before.

The ceremony ended with Gon and Alluka walking out the church, practically being pelted with rice. Oh, Gawd, there was so much rice. So many people, so many handfuls of rice.

The reception was located at Gon's home, the house on top of the hill, showered with lanterns for the ongoing party. Suggesting from the loud laughs coming from the hilltop, it wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

Currently, Killua was walking on the sandy beach, shoeless. He was walking nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets while the warm sand was getting in-between his toes. His pockets didn't just hold his hands, they also held shells and rocks and a seagull feather or two. Really, whatever Elodea could get his hands on, he brought it right back to Killua with a giant smile on his face, basking in the amazing treasure he just found.

Elodea came running back to Killua, giggling. His hands were folded, hiding the unforetold riches he just discovered. He found this unique treasure behind a rock covered with barnacles and algae. Surely his dad would love it too.

"What do you have there?" asked Killua. He squatted down, almost eye level to the toddler.

Elodea babbled some incomprehensible gibberish and unfolded his hands, revealing a small, dried up blue claw crab. Blue claw crabs can grow up to be very big, their meat is succulent and sweet and with a side of tartar sauce and a slice of lemon, they make a perfect seafood dinner. But this little dried up crab is too small for such a culinary occasion, but it could make a decent snack.

"It's a crab," he exclaimed.

Elodea handed the crab to Killua.

"Thank you." Killua placed the crab into his pocket along with all the other marine-life relics, one of its legs already crackled and fell off in his hand. Elodea, once again for the seventeenth time in a row, ran off looking for more things to stuff in his dad's pockets.

Killua rolled up his pants up to his knees and started walking into the water, until Elodea noticed his father leaving his side to enter the giant blue puddle. Elodea whined and ran back up to Killua, dropping whatever he held in his hands, clinging to his leg.

"Do you want to walk in the water with me?"

"No!" Elodea tugged on Killua's leg, hoping to bring his dad back onto the nice soft sand and save him from entering that oversized bathtub with those crazed looking rubber duckies bobbing in the water. They even flew high up in the air, how bizarre.

Killua proceeded to walk into the water, splashing against his ankles. Fish scurried away from him, while Elodea didn't stray from his spot on the white sand. He gripped the ends of his sweater vest and whined, pleading for his dad to come back to him, and join him on the sand once again. They weren't even 5 feet apart, but to Elodea, it felt like a deep ocean trench was separating them. He didn't want his dad to leave him. Surely he would get lost in the big blue.

"Elodea, Elodea, come here. Grab my hand, you can do it." Killua reached out his hand for Elodea to grab it and join him for a nice stroll in the water.

"No!"

"The water feels so nice, it's harmless," Killua splashed the water with his free hand. "See."

"No-oo."

Elodea spoke a lot these days, lots of babbling, but mostly single worded sentences. His vocabulary mainly consisted of daddy, yes, hi, goodbye, no, and an assortment of other words. He used 'no' a lot.

Killua pouted with his hand still outreached. Elodea was adamant about his decision, still standing on the sand, not moving an inch. The hermit crabs beside him were moving faster into the water than he was. Killua than looked down and exaggerated the most awe inspiring face ever. "Wow! Look at all these shells! These are silver and gold colored. They even look like coins. We hit the jackpot!" he picked them up from under the water and held them up for Elodea to see, "come here so you can take a better look at them." His hand was still outreached.

Elodea was curious too, he untightened his grip on his blue and green sweater vest and went up on his tip toes to get a better look of the shells without stepping a single foot in the water. Still on the sand.

Killua tilted his head to the side, thinking how he could get his young boy into the water without forcing him. A smile tugged on the corner his lips, he had an idea, it was risky, and had to the potential to traumatize Elodea from ever going into the water again. Alas, he had to try! He planted his hand into the water, touching the sand and rocks, and pretended to struggle. He even made sure to grunt a little.

"Daddy!" Elodea scrunched his eyebrows up. That blue puddle is no good, this only confirmed Elodea's suspicions.

"Oh no! It's the kraken! It's gotten a hold of me. Hurry Elodea, grab my hand and save me!" He dropped down on one knee, furthering his acting skills, getting his pants wet and stretched his arm, palm open, towards Elodea. "Please, before my arm gives out."

Elodea turned around and walked away.

"No son! Don't forsake me!"

Elodea closed his eyes, turned around, and blindly ran into the water, getting his dress pants all wet. He yelled a high note and grabbed onto his dad's hand, _saving_ him from the imaginary kraken. Killua finished off his performance by letting out a deep breath and sigh. He pretended to yank his arm out of the water and looked at it as if it was brand new. Then he looked at his son, astonished. He scooped Elodea up with one arm and planted a kiss on his cheek. Elodea laughed.

"You saved me!"

After several hesitating moments, Elodea started to like the vast puddle of water. He was skipping, splashing and running in circles around Killua. By now, he was soaked from head to toe, but that didn't bother him. He even saw more little creatures swimming around him. He saw these little blue fish that traveled in a school. Elodea decided that he would pick one up and bring it to his dad. It was a lovely shade of blue, like Killua's eyes. Easier said than done. Sadly, whenever Elodea took a step closer to the fish, they swam away twice as fast. He tried and tried and tried again, but he couldn't catch a little blue fish.

Killua noticed Elodea's struggle to catch a fish. So he put a water weed in his hand and waited until a fish swam towards him. He was still as a rock against the gentle current of the waves. When a fish came closer to nibble on the leaves, Killua quickly swiped the fish in the palm of his hands. He cupped his hand and filled it with water, so the fish could swim around freely. Killua squatted down and Elodea peered over into his hands to have a good look at the blue fish.

"I can't put this little fish in my pocket, but open your hands."

"Yep!" Elodea cupped his hands, while Killua transferred the fish to Elodea's. Elodea shivered and made a funny face. The fish swiveled and brushed against his skin. Its fins felt slippery and it tickled to the touch. He frowned when he accidentally dropped his hands to his side and the fish plopped back into the water. It swam back to its school, in stride with the other fish (just in time for P.E.)

"Look, there is another one, right there." Killua looked down at the water and pointed. Elodea followed his dad's gaze, but didn't see a fish. Maybe he wasn't looking hard enough? He bent down lower, trying to find the invisible fish. Killua peered at Elodea through the corner of his eye. "It's right here and it's huge!"

Killua energetically picked up Elodea and spun him in the air. He playfully tossed him on his shoulder.

For the rest of the walk, they walked hand in hand throughout the low tides of the water. When the sun was about to set, they were back walking on the sand. Two lines of footprints could be seen from behind them. One big and one small. When Elodea started nodding off and his eye lids were becoming heavier for him to keep open. Killua carried him and let him sleep.

From behind them, only one set of footprints could be seen. Elodea was sound asleep, resting his head on his dad's shoulder finding it to be a very comfortable spot for a nap. Killua softly said to the salty air and ocean waves and to his sleeping son, "I love you and will never leave you."

The sea gulls flapped their wings and soared in the dark sky, guided by the light of the lanterns, from the house on top of the hill.

* * *

 **Hello! Thank you for reading! For this chapter I listened to classical wedding music nonstop XD**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following, and reviewing. I really appreciate it.**


	9. Chapter 9: Red Swallows x Will x Fly

**Chapter 9: Red Swallows x Will x Fly**

"Again. Again. Again." Elodea said, while jumping up and down. His coal, black hair was cropped short and fell to the sides of his head, flat. Excitement resonated from his wide purple eyes, anticipating what his father would do next, for what he _knew_ his father would do next. Hopefully for the tenth time in a row.

Killua sighed, "Just one more time, got it?" This wasn't the first time Killua said this to his bobbing son, Elodea. He also said this several moments before, but Elodea begged for another round after each time. He was spoiling his child rotten.

"Yep!" Elodea smiled a grand smile. Killua couldn't say no to that.

Killua rented an apartment in Swaldani City, near the Hunter Association Headquarters. The apartment flat, he and Elodea have been living in for several months now, was small to say the least. Although, it was located in a good part of the neighborhood, so Killua wasn't complaining at all. Elodea wasn't at all complaining about the long hallway that connected the bedrooms to the living room. He'd constantly run up and down, up and down, up and down, and Killua thought his son was running on a fully charged battery, since Elodea hasn't shown any sign of slowing down or sluggishness.

Since Killua is a contract hunter, much to his dismay, he works on miscellaneous jobs enlisted by corporations or independent clients. On the plus side, he can spend more time with his son. Recently, a wealthy business man contacted the Hunter Association and specifically requested Killua Zoldyck for the job. Although the details weren't specified as to what job was per say. An appointment was scheduled for tonight at 7:00 PM at the _Red Swallow Restaurant_ to further discuss those design details.

Killua was sitting down on the wooden floor, cross-legged. He looked to his side to see a mirror that touched the top of the ceiling and stood on the bottom of the ground, surrounded by a white frame. It was also embedded into the wall. Even if he liked the mirror, which he didn't, he couldn't take it out of the wall. He thought it was an odd place to hold the decoration.

Elodea ran up the hallway to Killua, playfully tapped him on the shoulder. Before Killua could grab him, Elodea ran back to the end of the hallway, giggling. Until Elodea ran back up to Killua, once again. Surprised with every turn to see his father on the other side of the hallway, it was only one way.

"That's the thing about daddies, you can never escape from me." He smiled then grabbed Elodea into a hug and mimicked the sound of a car engine, sending light pulses of electricity to his son. Only enough to tickle and make Elodea's flat hair to unnaturally stand up in the air, puffed out. Elodea looked at himself in the mirror with his crazy hair-do and was laughing hysterically.

Suddenly, the doorbell buzzed. Killua turned his head to the door and stood up from his comfy spot on the wooden floor. "That's the babysitter." He looked at his son and narrowed his eyes. "Promise me you'll be a good boy and not terrorize the sitter."

Elodea angelically nodded.

"I can tell when you're lying. C'mon, let's go." Killua smirked then reached out his hand towards Elodea, instead Elodea fell down towards the ground, clung to Killua's leg, and sat on his foot. Killua walked the rest of the way to the front door with a toddler clinging to his leg, Elodea was enjoying the ride. When he opened the door to see the girl he hired from the babysitting agency. She had blonde hair that fell down to her shoulders with a pink rhinestone headband on top of her head. She was also fashioning a denim jacket with bedazzled icons on it, like hearts, butterflies, and smiley faces. He recognized her from her profile picture on the babysitting website. Although, she was a little more perky in real life. He wanted to gawk.

Killua and Elodea, mostly on Elodea's part, became quite a legend at the babysitting agency. No one wanted to watch the kid. It was hard to find one person that hasn't quit on him or refused to take care of the mischievous child from overly exaggerated rumors. This blonde girl was probably new to the agency. She smiled at Elodea and waved. She has no clue.

"State your name and business," said Killua, sternly.

The girl saluted with her right hand towards her forehead. "Good evening Mr. Zoldyck. My name is Kate Newhill, a babysitter from _Pacifier Babysitting Agency_. You requested a sitter to watch your son while you go out this evening, starting at seven maybe extending into eleven, depending on how the evening goes. Correct?"

"That is correct. How long have you been working for the agency?" Killua quirked up an eyebrow. He can't have someone quit on him now. Elodea was playfully tugging on Killua's canvas pants.

"I was just recently hired by said Agency, but I assure you that I have been babysitting for my siblings and neighbor's kids for years, ever since freshman year of high school. Do you need to see my resume as evidence for my qualifications?" She reached into her bag, which was also bedazzled with more crazy images and faces of boy bands plastered onto the bag.

Killua held up his hand. "That won't be necessary."

Kate bent down low to the toddler's eye level, "Hi, what's your name?"

"Elodea." He said sweetly, hiding behind his dad's leg.

The sitter was escorted into the apartment, she placed her sparkling bag on top of the sofa. Those eyes from the boyband members were relentlessly staring him down, Killua turned away then clapped his hands once, "I really appreciate you being here Kate, I don't know when I'll be back, hopefully no more than eleven, but expect me to call within the next two hours."

"Yes, sir." Kate saluted once more. Elodea clumsily mimicked her salutes.

"See you soon," He bent down and kissed Elodea on the head. Elodea giggled a 'bye-bye' to his father. Killua walked halfway out the door, until he turned back and looked at Kate, "Put him to bed by eight and make sure he brushes his teeth, he won't unless you squeeze the tooth paste out for him."

"Okay, anything else?"

"He really likes to play hide and go seek," Killua twirled his wrist in the air, "it's a good way for things to remain….tranquil."

"Tranquil?" She muttered.

Killua shut the door behind him, purposefully, before he could give an answer to the confused sitter. He couldn't have the sitter back out now this late at night, especially since she's the only one from the agency that willingly accepted the job. _Ignorance is bliss_ , he thought, _for now_.

Kate, who planned out a fun night full of educational activities and nutritious snacks, only to turn around to see the toddler standing on top of a wheelie chair reaching for the clock on top of the fire place mantel. She hurriedly ran to the tot and picked him off of the chair, and the clock came crashing down to the ground. Good thing it was only made of plastic and not glass. Only a piece of the plastic chipped off and the clock was still ticking.

"Uh-ho," squealed Elodea.

The plastic clock would be the least of her troubles tonight.

* * *

"Good evening."

The glass doors opened for Killua as he walked into the restaurant with his hands tucked into his pockets. Servers ushered him into the dully lit room. The _Red Swallow_ _Restaurant_ was more put together than he imagined. The carpet was a deep blood red with precisely detailed textile designs that swirled into different shades of red then into black. The walls were a made of brick, but artistically crafted that gave it a bohemian look.

A server offered to take his coat, Killua complied. He was escorted to the Head Server at the front of the dining room. The server was round and his uniform bulged at this waist and his mustache curled upright. When the man smiled his mouth in a curved line, it looked like he was smiling with two mouths. Creepy, but Killua remain undisturbed.

"Good evening Sir, The _Red Swallow_ is most gracious for your arrival. With whom are you dining with this evening?" The server opened up his book, flipping through pages packed from morning until night of reservations.

"A reservation with Robert Fleshbourne."

"Mr. Robert Flesh…." He looked through the scribbles of names and times on the book then pointed to the spot with his pen, "Ah, yes, with Mr. Fleshbourne. These servers will escort you to him immediately. He has been expecting you." The man said, a little too enthusiastically.

Killua wasn't surprised that he wouldn't be meeting the man in the main dining room, the open room with so many listening ears. Ones that can easily eavesdrop on a conversation, even if it is by accident. The servers escorted him to the bar on the lower level of the restaurant, but it wouldn't be even here where Killua would be meeting the man. They passed the bar with rows of colorful and misshaped bottles then walked past the lounge with plush chairs and bookcases.

The server stopped in front of a bookcase, stacked with torn, old, and rustic looking books that have seen better days. He pulled on a red book with a thick cloth binding. He pulled it halfway through the case, then the door slowly opened. Revealing a secret room behind the bookcase.

The server bowed towards Killua, "We hope you enjoy your stay at the _Red Swallow."_

Killua nodded without looking at the man then entered the room, nonchalantly. His eyes fixed unto the center of the room. Meetings such as these had information that was meant to stay discrete, perfect for these sorts of locations. The bookcase closed tight, with a click, it locked behind him.

Locking him in with Mr. Robert Fleshbourne.

* * *

"OMG, Where did he go?!" Kate said, fumbling and searching between the sofa and chairs, and table. Elodea was right behind her a second ago. After she laid out some freshly chopped carrots in the shape of stars with a ranch dressing sauce for the toddler to enjoy snacking on while listening to nursery rhymes, he was nowhere to be seen!

Suddenly, she heard a squeal of laughter coming from the kitchen. She ran to the room, and her mouth opened wide at the little toddler who was smearing ketchup all over the kitchen table. (In his defense, he was expressing his creativity and making food art.)

"Oh, no, no, no, don't do that!" she grabbed a roll of paper towels than started wiping off the table. Elodea backed away as she cleaned up his ketchup masterpiece. He licked off some of the sugary ketchup what was left on his fingers. After she finished with the table, she brought Elodea back to the sofa with the carrots and ranch dressing. She let out a breath, and convinced herself that the worst was over. "Do you want an organic juice box with your snack?" She sweetly asked Elodea.

"Yes!"

She left, oh how she shouldn't have left, the room with the animated toddler residing in it. Elodea picked up one of the star shaped carrots then bit into it, only to give a squeamish looking expression in the response to the raw vegetable. He set the carrot down then picked up the little container containing the ranch dressing. He looked over the room, to see the sparkling bag laying helplessly on the sofa.

A smile puckered on his lips.

When Kate walked back into the room holding in her hand an organic grape juice box. She didn't see the toddler sitting on the sofa eating his vegetables. He was standing in front of her bag, holding something in his hand, and his arm was moving up and down.

"Elodea, what are you doing?" She set down the box of juice next to the carrots and noticed that the container of ranch dressing was missing. Anxiousness rose in her body, but she decided that it wouldn't get the best of her. Until she closely looked at what the child was doing. Her jaw dropped.

Elodea was spreading the white gooey sauce on her bag, especially on the pictures of the boy band members. Kate rushed over to save what was left of her bag. She frowned, those stains would be very hard to remove. Plus, the picture of her favorite hotty from her all-time favorite boy band, _Only Direction_ , was completely ruined. She fought back her tears then slowly turned her head towards the toddler. He was sitting down on the sofa and sipping his juice box, quietly.

Kate feared what would happen when the juice box contents emptied.

* * *

Fleshbourne stood up from his seat. He was wearing a red and black vertically striped suit, that made him look taller then he actually was. His honey brown hair was parted to the side. He outreached his hand to Killua's. "Thank you joining me this evening Mr. Zoldyck. You must be a very busy man."

"The pleasure is mine." Killua shook the man's hand out of politeness. Only out of politeness. The look in Fleshbourne's eyes reminded him of a piranha scoping out its prey. Already in reach, eyeing its dinner struggling for help at the surface of the water.

"Please have a seat," Fleshbourne gestured to the mahogany chair. He snapped his finger towards a server that was standing at the far side of the room, out of the way and waiting to be of service. The server came up towards Killua and poured him a glass of wine, then refilled Fleshbourne's glass with the deep red liquid. "It must have been difficult to fit a time with me considering your line of work, I'm grateful we could have this meeting together." He raised his glass in the air then drank its contents.

"The Hunter Association said you requested me specifically. I'm flattered, but I'd like to know why."

"Word gets around." He took a gulp of his wine, now the glass was nearing half empty. "I can tell that you are a modest man. You shouldn't be, but who am I to question the success from one man to another. It's been working for you, tremendously. Cheers." He raised his glass up again.

"I am who I am, and there's nothing I can change about it."

"Then you are blessed."

Killua shrugged and crossed his legs, "Depending on whose eyes that are judging me."

"I know exactly how you feel."

"From the man who is the chairman of one of the world's largest holding companies, owning 800 other companies outstanding stock. Graduated from YorkNew University, with a Bachelor of Science is Economics at the top of his class. Then in his spare time, built skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses. Including The Hunter Association building, which is one of those you've built."

"I'm flattered that you know so much about me."

"It's hard not to, you're in the newspapers every day. Anyone who doesn't, has been living under a rock." Killua took a sip of his wine. The server came around to their table and placed two silver platters onto the table. He lifted the lids and steam came bustling out from underneath revealing tenderloin steak with bake potatoes and a side of broccoli. A sprig of parsley laid on top of the potatoes.

Fleshbourne tucked his napkin between his collar and neck, ready to eat. "We can talk about the job after dinner." He smiled and picked up his knife and fork ready to cut his meat with the bake potatoes.

"I prefer if we talk about it now, if you don't mind."

Fleshbourne sighed and put down his utensils, "Of course, business is the first priority. I wouldn't want to waste your time. We can dine afterwards as a celebratory toast to the contract." He snapped his fingers again and the server came holding a briefcase, the locks flicked open revealing a folder and a large sum of money. He slid the folder across the table to Killua.

Killua opened up the folder revealing a profile of another business man, he was elderly and bald, but he wore a fine suit that didn't deter his status. Killua narrowed his eyes at the profile and knew what he unexpectedly just signed into. He was done with this sort of work.

"He is a competitor from a rival company of ours, Simon Dirfellow," said Fleshbourne. "He's been buying up stocks that my company has been eyeing progressively. He even had the audacity to propose a joint conglomerate between our two companies." He scoffed, as if the air was intoxicating to breathe.

Killua quirked up an eyebrow and asked, "What do you want me to do exactly?"

"I don't care how you do it, I just want it done. If you're asking me about my sort of preference, I would say make it look like an accident, but I'm not the professional here. You know best." Fleshbourne casually said, as if he was talking about the morning weather.

Killua slid the profile of the old man back across the table to Fleshbourne. The man gave a confused look. Killua pulled out his chair and stood up, ready to leave. "Find someone else for your job. I'm no longer associated in that kind of work anymore." There was nothing that obligated him to stay in this room any longer. He walked towards the door, hidden with the disguise of a bookcase.

Fleshbourne looked baffled, "You're a Zoldyck aren't you? Your kind of work is assassination. If not, then you're name gives false advertisement."

"Whatever, go ahead and sue me." Killua rolled his wrist in the air, walking towards the bookcase.

Fleshbourne snapped his finger towards the server. The server bore a knife from under his apron, and charged at Killua. "I can't have you leave, knowing why I called you here. You shouldn't have declined my offer." He menacingly smiled, but it immediately changed to fear when Killua easily grabbed the knife from the server with one hand and broke the server's wrist with the other. Killua twirled the knife in his hand, looking annoyed. Before Fleshbourne could even respond, he imagined a knife slicing through his chest, ripping out his heart. It felt real. Until he realized that Killua simply stood behind him, holding the knife at the man's neck.

Killua narrowed his eyes, cold. "Never contact me again, or I'll kill you." The whisper filled the entire room, which was now enveloped in a heavy aura. The food rotted and the wine spoiled. The air truly became intoxicating. Fleshbourne was hardly able to breathe with the dense air suffocating his lungs. "Do you know what will happen if you break that promise?" Fleshbourne was too scared to reply, barely managing a squeak. "Don't speak." Killua interrupted.

Killua grabbed the glass of red liquid and poured it over the man's head. It felt thick, warm, and sticky. The wine was soaking into his suit, blending in with the red hue. Fleshbourne was trembling.

"Let this perforate through you're thick skull and remember that this will be you drowning in your own blood when I rip your heart out." Killua put down the knife and readjusted the man's napkin between his neck and shirt collar. He placed the fork and knife in his hands and said, "Enjoy your dinner."

The server was curled up on the ground, in fetal position, shivering. Killua stepped over him, undisturbed. He yanked the bookcase with one pull and it fell off its hinges. Wires and bolts came crashing to the ground, breaking the electronical lock.

Killua exited the room, while Fleshbourne stared off into space with drool dripping from his mouth. The utensils clattered to the ground when he slouched down in his chair.

If he was a wise man, which he wasn't, he would never contact Killua Zoldyck ever again. Despite his lack of wisdom, he would carry through with that promise, for there was too much fear than logic flooding into his skull.

* * *

After playing several rounds of hide and go seek with Elodea, Kate was exhausted. She took the father's advice and finally figured out what he meant by 'tranquil.' After the ranch dressing incident, Elodea went to play mountain climber on the window curtains, when she yanked him off them he proceeded to throw a tantrum. When she went to grab a toy he might enjoy, he was, yet again, in another place entirely. He was standing on top of the kitchen counter, opening the window that had no bug screen. They were on the third floor of the building.

So now, here she was, slouching in her chair after playing vigorous rounds of hide and go seek with the toddler, who was now all tired and sleeping in bed. Everywhere Kate hid, Elodea would immediately come running up towards her, wherever it was behind the sofa, curtain or in the closet. He had no problem finding where she was located. She thought it was strange when the timer went off, signaling Elodea to start searching for his worn out babysitter, he'd didn't try searching in other places first. He's run past every potential hiding place and go to her. He was definitely a master at the game. He'd giggle, run up to her, tap her, and then gleefully shout 'found you!' Repeating the whole cycle once again.

Kate let out a breath, drained. Suddenly she heard the doorbell buzz. She was too tired to dip her head to the side, and positively remembered that Mr. Zoldyck said he would call her before returning home. It was little bit more than an hour since then. She didn't answer the door.

Adrenaline spiked in her vines when the door viciously unlocked, not from a key struggling to unlatch the door, but by force.

Someone was trying to break in and they succeeded.

* * *

Killua was driving home in his car. Before he skedaddled from the restaurant, he made a pit stop by the convenience store and bought a pack of those animal shaped graham crackers that Elodea fancied so much.

He dialed the sitter's phone number and waited for her to pick up. Kate didn't pick up the first few times he called, always going to her voice mail, leaving a message. He became annoyed, then considered that Elodea was giving her a hard time. Maybe. He called one more time, then the phone was finally picked up. Killua spoke first, "Hi Kate, I'm coming home. I'll be there in about ten to fifteen minutes."

The receiver didn't say anything, only hearing light traces of breathing, very controlled.

"Kate? You there?" Killua questioned.

" _See you soon, Kil._ " The receiver said, who very much so, was not Kate. He hung up the phone before Killua could utter a sentence.

Killua raced through the freeway, gripping the steering wheel, to the point of almost ripping it off from the car. He was breaking several laws in the driver's handbook, speeding past cars, going over the speeding limit, ignoring traffic signals, with a dash of road rage to compliment it all. The road cameras were catching ever bit of his blunders, but he didn't care. He had to hurry home. Fear was creeping up his spine.

His older brother was waiting for him at home with his son.

* * *

Killua sprinted up the stairs and jumped between the floor levels. First, he saw his front door, slightly ajar with the broken lock. Second, when he opened the door the next thing he saw was the lifeless body drooping on the sofa. Her blonde hair was covering her face and her eyes were left open, with no need to blink. She had a single needle protruding from her forehead.

Killua heavily breathed in, _Elodea_. His mind darted to his son, and all the horrors that simultaneously flashed within his mind. He ran past the mirror, through the hallway, and opened the door to the bedroom.

He saw his son lying in bed, his chest was moving up and down, quietly. He was sleeping and unharmed. The horrors disappeared from his mind. Only to return again when his eyes drifted towards the other figure in the room. The moonlight spilled through the window, cascading light onto the man. He was tall, slender, and had long black hair, black as his soul. He was twirling needles in his hands, then turned towards his younger brother.

"You don't want to wake him up, now do you, Kil?" said Illumi.

Killua made one sharp movement towards his son, until Illumi stopped him dead in his tracks, attempting to throw at needle at the sleeping toddler. Killua tried to suppress his fear and anger that were raging inside of him, a storm made of fire and ice. "What do you want Illumi?"

Illumi slowly walked closer to Elodea and peered over him, looking at the slumbering angelic child. Illumi gave a disgusted look as if he was looking at a bug that needed to be squashed under his foot. "Is he your child?" He raised his eyebrow up towards Killua, "He looks nothing like you."

"Leave now," Killua said through gritted teeth.

"So this is what you've been doing for the past couple of years? Playing house? I knew you were working as a hunter, not that I can fathom why, but I never expected you to raise a family." Illumi sported his classic monotone expression on his face with a hint of mockery in his voice. "There are so many things I do not know about you Kil."

"You don't know me at all."

Illumi shrugged his shoulders, "fair enough." He looked back at the toddler, oblivious to the conversation between his father and uncle. "Don't tell me you eloped and had a child. Was that your wife in the other room?" He mocked.

Killua said nothing.

"Oh no, I guess not. She looks too young to be anyway." Illumi thumped his fist against his flat hand, thinking of the answer, "Ah yes! You went to the Kukan'yu Kingdom almost two years ago, then you submitted a resignation letter to the expedition team. I was wondering why. I thought maybe working as a hunter made you soft and weak," he pouted.

"They should have arrested you by now. You've committed so many crimes against the Association."

"Yes, I don't deny all those accusations, but they have to catch me first. I'm still a hunter with all the perks at my disposal."

Killua scoffed.

"Come back home Kil, we…." Illumi tried sounding out the strange foreign words out of his mouth. They came out sounding unnatural and forced, "we miss you."

"I'm no longer part of the family, I've disowned all of you."

Illumi waved his finger at his naïve younger brother, " _tch tch tch,_ that's what you may think. But mother and father still have high hopes for you as heir to the Zoldyck family." He looked down towards the ground and snarled, "Can't see why though, with you fooling around here. They should have disowned you."

Killua concentrated his nen, into pulses of blue aura mimicking electricity. The currents grew larger and larger, thrashing against one another. Illumi put away his needles and held up his hands, innocently.

"I didn't come here to fight you Killua. I came to relay some news. That's all."

"I don't need to hear anything from you. Get out." The blue sparks started to scratch the walls.

"Hmm, you're grumpier than the last time I saw you. Well, Kalluto came back home and quit the phantom troupe. If you don't come back home, Kalluto will be made the heir to the family. Thought you would like to know, your opportunity is in jeopardy."

Killua's sparks singed the walls.

"Guess not." Illumi looked around the room, to see toys and Legos randomly placed around the room. "Kalluto has too many flaws that father does not approve of, but he is a good second choice for being the heir." Illumi picked up a blue Lego and fumbled around it with his fingers. "Do you still keep in contact with Alluka? What a useless piece of garbage she is-

A spark went flying towards Illumi's head, barely missing his forehead. It singed a fragment of his black hair, and sent it floating towards the floor.

"I can see that I'm not wanted here." Illumi examined his hair, unsymmetrically and especially unfashionably cut. He walked towards Killua and leaned into this ear, "You'll always be cursed as long as you bear the name Zoldyck. Accept it." He looked back towards Elodea, disgustingly. "I'm looking forward to the day when he's older and realizes that his father is a truly horrible monster," he laughed. "Imagine, the man who saved him from the kingdom full of monsters, was actually one himself. How ironic." He patted his younger brother's shoulder, his hand was zapped with electricity. Then Illumi left, disappearing into the darkness.

Elodea slowly opened his eyes, crusted with dust from the sand man. He was surprised, but even more so ecstatic to see his father home early! He jumped out of bed and raised up his arms, so Killua could pick him up. "Daddy!"

Killua picked up Elodea and wrapped his arms around him, caressing his back.

"Missed you," said Elodea, nuzzled in Killua's neck. Killua tried to control his breathing, and managed a smile.

"Were you nice to the babysitter?"

"Yep!" Elodea smiled.

"Good," he kissed Elodea on the head, he gulped than looked around the room, and said "we're going on a trip Elodea."

"When?" Elodea asked.

"Now."

* * *

That night, with their belongings packed in the car with a tank full a gas to take them as far away as they wanted, Killua stood in front of Beans at the Hunter Headquarters located in the heart of Swaldani City. Beans was the chairman's secretary of the Hunter Association. Killua had a grave look in his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You still have the option of turning back now, before it's too late."

"Yes, I couldn't want this more than I already do."

Beans sighed, "Here are all your files before the name change." He handed Killua the original file that contained all the information about him, when he first took the hunter exam and subsequent information after that. "We've updated your current files and your hunter card to these changes as well."

"Thank you." Killua tightly held the files in his hand, then looked at his son, sleeping in the stroller. This was the best he can do for him. The Zoldyck name will never haunt him.

"I wish you the best in your endeavors Mr. Zoldyck, pardon my mistake, Mr. Menfitz," Beans corrected himself.

Killua strapped Elodea into the baby seat in the back of the car, safely tucking him in. Before he got into the front car seat himself, he went over to a garbage can. He outreached the file of himself, Killua Zoldyck, the person he used to be.

The file plummeted to the bottom of the container with the rest of the garbage of banana peels and chewed up gum. Killua poured gas onto the file. He lit a match, the only light around the darkness of the night. He dropped the flame as saw the sparks fly when it met the liquid gasoline. The edges were crisping, turning red and black, finally into dust.

That night he drove out of Swaldani City with his son, Elodea Menfitz. They would never stay in one place for too long, they'll move from place to place, and no one will track them down. Living out of suitcases, packing up and taking off, before people would realize who they really are.

He would escape the curse of being a Zoldyck. Even if that meant constantly running away, hiding in the darkness.

It was all for Elodea.

* * *

 **Hello! Thank you for reading Chapter 9, I hope you enjoyed it. A lot of things went down in this chapter and things got a little more complicated for Killua and Elodea.**

 **And sorry to Kate, because I introduced a new character than killed her off in the same chapter. (Illumi, why are you so evil!?)**

 **Plus the one direction reference...I just had to...personally I love Exo, but 1D is good too.**

 **Thank you readers, because it brings joy to my heart that someone out there in IRL likes my story and confirms that I'm not writing utter gibberish...**

 **Thank you for reading and I hope you stick around for the next chapter *wink***


	10. Chapter 10: Finding x the x Good

**Chapter 10: Finding x the x Good**

Ages

Killua (25)

Elodea (4)

* * *

"Found you!" Elodea peered behind the sofa to find his dad crouching behind it. Gleefully bouncing on the plush cushions. Elodea was smiling from ear to ear, upon discovering his dad in their epic game of hide and go seek.

Killua huffed out, thinking he found a good hiding place that Elodea couldn't find him this time. The way the sofa was arranged in the lobby of the art show, Killua was currently working as a guard for, was positioned perpendicular to the corner of the room. He crouched down low, so even the top of his head wasn't showing. "How are you so good at this?" Killua looked up at his son, directly face to face.

"Not telling," Elodea laughed then kissed Killua on the nose. Then he scurried off, to find a hiding place for himself. Contrary to being a master at seeking in the game, Elodea was terrible in the other half of the game. Hiding. It was not his forte, nevertheless he played on.

They've been on the road ever since their encounter with Illumi. Staying at motels to hotels to inns, constantly on the move. Killua was currently hired as a security guard, dressed up in a fine black tuxedo with a light blue tie adding some flair to his dull attire, to watch over the auction in Spendmore Town. The art on sale in this exhibition was created by some of the world's famous artists, the bidding for each piece started in the millions. As the bare minimum. This event was all for charity of course, but he had to be precautious. Thieves were pruned to steal these kinds of works. Especially those of the phantom troupe. He was able to scare away amateur thieves and had them cowering for protection inside cop cars.

After Killua counted to ten, he already saw Elodea squirming behind the long curtain, with his neon blue shoes visible from underneath, for all the world to see. He held in his laughter then walked closer to the curtain, "I wonder where he could be?" He pretended to ponder.

Elodea giggled behind the curtain. The first of many obvious clues, giving away his hiding spot.

"Since when do curtains need to wear shoes?" He asked.

Elodea caught his little mistake. One could see his silhouette bending down to cover his shoes with the rest of the long fabric. Now his sneakers were covered and out of sight. Phew. That was a close one. Now his father won't be suspicious and he'll have to look somewhere else.

Killua smiled, all too amused. "I think Elodea is behind the curtain."

"No, he isn't," said the curtain, definitely not Elodea impersonating what a curtain could ever sound like.

"He isn't?" Killua pretended to gasp.

The silhouette behind the curtain nodded, enthusiastically.

"I was so sure he was here, I wonder where he could be." Killua stood back up and walked past the curtain.

Elodea proudly smiled, his hiding place was a success.

"I guess he just vanished into thin air. Poof."

Elodea's smile faded.

"I might as well leave, since he' not even here," he pretended to walk out of the room, making clumping sounds that got softer and softer until there was nothing left but silence.

Elodea's heart jumped, he swung the curtain away with his arms and ran out of his hiding spot. "I'm here daddy! Don't go." His hiding spot was obviously too good. He'll have to downplay it next time. Sniffles were running down his face.

Killua immediately regretted his harmless prank, when he saw his son saddened, running up towards him, clinging to his leg. "I'm sorry, I'll never do it again."

"Promise?"

Killua held his hand over his heart. "I promise."

Elodea smiled, he knew his father would never leave him. Suddenly, a man in a black tuxedo with a light blue tie knocked on the wall. Killua turned his head, staring at the tall man wearing rectangular glasses, another security guard. Killua thought his name was Arnold or Arnoldo? He wasn't really paying attention during the introductions.

"Break time is over, your shift is going to start," the man said, angrily.

Killua waved his hand at the man, "I know, don't get your whiskers tied in a knot." Elodea held Killua's hand while walking into the art gallery. He sat on a plush white chair, holding a coloring book and crayons in his hands.

Killua knelt down to see Elodea in the eyes, "Stay right here, while I'm working. I'll be right over there, where I can see you. Okay?"

Elodea nodded, "Okay."

"And don't talk to strangers."

Elodea nodded again, "Okay."

Killua kissed Elodea on the forehead than walked off to do his shift. Elodea sat on the sofa, coloring a picture of a bird sitting in a nest. He colored the sky blue and the bird bright red. He colored haphazardly, outside the lines. When he was finished he looked back down at his artwork, holding it at arm's length. He thought it was absolutely pretty! Then he looked at the paintings around him, and didn't really think they were so pretty.

He put down his crayons and coloring book, against his father's wishes, he proceeded to walk away from his seat and towards the paintings. First he looked at a painting, an abstract portrayal of nature's beauty. There were too many sloshes of dark colors. Then he put his hands on his hips and said out loud for all to hear, "That's gross."

Then he turned to another portrait, featuring a man and woman basked in the moonlight in the nude. "Why are they naked?"

Then he turned to another painting with disfigured fish swimming in a filthy pool, "Ew."

Elodea proceeded with his harsh art critiques. His merciless rampage continued.

* * *

"Excuse me, Sir," said the gallery curator with an unpleasant look on his face. Killua stared at the man holding Elodea's hand, firmly. "Is this your son?"

"Hi daddy," said Elodea, nonchalantly.

"Yes, he is. Did something happen?" Killua looked concerned, he wondered if something happened to Elodea while he was looking away. He obviously didn't stay put in his seat. What did he do?!

"Yes, something did happen. Why doesn't your son tell you?" The curator accentuated and glared at Elodea, narrowing his eyes. "Tell your father what you said to the woman who was about to buy that painting." Killua followed the man's gaze, it fell upon a painting covered with thick brush strokes of green and yellow.

Elodea shrugged, not seeing the problem at hand here. "All I said was that painting looked like a giant booger."

The curator heavily let out a breath, he looked like he was going to hyperventilate, "Ten millions dollars. We lost ten million dollars because of his remark. Madame Lymph-seta was not all amused by his commentary. Please," the man passed Elodea to Killua, "keep your son away from potential buyers."

Elodea looked at the curator angrily stump off to go to apologize to the woman in the big red hat. The man was bowing his head so many times, he looked like a drinking bird toy.

"Elodea," Killua leaned down towards him, "you need to be careful about what you say. A lot of people worked really hard to create these paintings." Although, Killua did have a good look at these paintings and thought they looked ridiculous. Why anyone would want to buy one these pieces of _art,_ dumfounded him. That painting Elodea critiqued did look like one giant booger. He thought Elodea just saved the woman from mindlessly throwing away ten million dollars. He did her a favor.

"I'm sorry," Elodea looked down towards the ground, disheartened. Regretting his recent outbursts. He wasn't thinking about anyone else's feelings, but his own.

"I want you to remember this, there is good in everything around us. Sometimes it may be difficult to find but we just have to open our eyes to see it." This was a rule that didn't just apply to paintings, but to life in general. This was something that Killua learned himself a long time ago, such as meeting Gon for the first time at the Hunter Exam. Gon opened up a world of light into Killua's eyes. Once again, when he found Elodea in Kukan'yu and adopted him, so much good entered his life. Every day with his son was a blessing.

Elodea nodded. Killua grabbed Elodea's hand and strolled up to a painting. It took up so much space on the wall, there were barely any other paintings around it. Elodea quirked up an eyebrow, confused. "It's so big. How can this fit through a door?"

"Big houses have big doors."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"I want you to tell me one good this about this painting," said Killua. Elodea looked at the painting from top to bottom. To be honest, it looked like something he would find in his coloring book. There was a total of six squares painted unto the canvas. There were two columns, each with three different colored blocks. It looked like he could play hop scotch on it. Elodea turned his head to the side. What should he say? Something nice, what good was there about this piece? Then he realized that he had crayons that were the same colors as the paints used in the artwork. He looked up at his father, with an answer in mind.

"I like the colors, they're pretty."

Killua smiled, "Great. The colors do look nice. Now, tell me one thing you don't like about this painting." Elodea looked perplexed, he thought this is what his father was trying to prevent him from doing, spouting nonsense without thinking. "The thing about critiquing is not about listing all the bad qualities. Your remarks should be helpful to the person, so they can do better, instead of discouraging them from never trying again."

Elodea racked his brain, what can he say that was helpful, but not mean. He looked at the squares painted on the canvas. They were each outlined with a thick black line, reminding him of his coloring book. The brush strokes were even visible from standing so low where he was. Nothing really stood out to him, then he thought of an answer. "Well," he took a deep breathe, "They could color outside the lines too, if they wanted."

"Explain."

"It's more fun to color outside the lines."

"So that would represent artists not being bound by their limitations cast upon them by society. They break free from these previously molded restrictions, by creating beyond their comfortable boundaries."

"Uh…yes." Elodea had no idea what his father just said. But it sounded good.

"Now," killua bent down towards Elodea and pointed towards the woman in the big red hat. "I want you to go back to that woman and use what you just learned."

Elodea nodded enthusiastically and walked towards the woman.

"Work your magic, son." Killua nodded proudly, pleased at his parenting skills.

The woman was staring at a painting featuring two doves in outer space. The painting was called _Doves in Outer Space._ Yes, very original. The doves were floating in the foreground with the blue and green Earth behind them. The rest of the background was pitch black, space.

Elodea thought this was going to be a hard one. There were already so many things he disliked about it. But he sucked in a breath and walked towards the woman and greeted her, "Hello."

Madame Lymph-seta, a.k.a. the woman in the big red hat, stared at Elodea through the periphery of her eyes. She didn't bother to turn her head. She huffed out an exaggerated breath, "What interesting feedback do you have about this painting? I hope it doesn't make my stomach churn."

Elodea looked at the painting with the white doves and examined it. _Something nice, something nice._ "The birds are cute," he said.

"Charming," she gurgled under her breathe, unimpressed.

Then he looked at the black space, completely empty. "But, I wish I could see the stars." The woman peered at him through the corner of her eye, turning her head, just an inch. "Doesn't space have stars and comets and meteors? I would like to see those things."

"What do you think the artist meant by that? Not painting in the rest of the cosmos." She turned her head towards Elodea, paying full attention towards him. Elodea sucked the inside of his cheek and wondered why the artist didn't draw the bright stars around the doves. Then he considered an answer.

"I think the artist wants us to really look at the doves." If there were so many stars and comets and meteors, that would be distracting to the viewer and pull their attention away from the doves in the foreground.

The woman nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. The artist made the white doves the focal point of the piece contrasting from the black space. With the earth shadowing the doves raised above them, it endows the message that world peace is universal."

"Uh…yes." Elodea muttered. He wasn't really sure what she said, but she was nodding appreciatively.

"Excuse me," she waved her hand towards the curator and he quickly flocked towards her. He spotted Elodea standing next to the woman. He looked like he was ready to start apologizing to the woman again, regretting losing more potential millions. She didn't avert her gaze from Elodea or the doves. "I would like to purchase this painting. This little connoisseur convinced my wavering thoughts about this painting. I love it."

"Y-Yes Madame Lymph-seta," he bowed like a drinking bird, "thank you for your continuous patronage."

She held her head up, Elodea could see the inside of her nose, and he saw a small, green booger. "I'm going to hang this painting up in the dining room of my summer house. It will look marvelous hanging over the fire place."

"Yes, it definitely would," he shakenly replied. The painting was 20 million dollars, double the amount of what the last one was.

"Well, go on," she barked, "bring this to my car."

"Yes, right away!"

Before the curator brought the painting into the woman's car, he escorted Elodea back to his father. This time, instead of a look that endowed constipation on his face, the man looked absolutely euphoric. He shook Killua's hand with vigor.

"He can walk around and talk to the other guests, if he wants to. It's no trouble at all," happily said the curator. If the child could convince more buyers of the value of the artwork than the entire exhibit will be sold out! Then he shook Elodea's hand, from one curator to the other, after a successful business deal. Then he waved goodbye and waltzed back to the _Doves in Space_ painting.

Killua rolled his eyes. He brought back his attention to Elodea, "That was a fantastic job you did. I'm really proud of you." He patted Elodea on the head, lovingly.

"It's not so hard, finding the good in things."

"It takes other people longer to see even a glimpse," said Killua, truthfully. "What are you going to be doing now?"

Elodea looked back at his chair with his crayons and coloring book left behind. "I'm going to go back to coloring. Curating is tough stuff."

"Alright, enjoy," Killua smiled, "I'll be watching you from over here."

"I know." Elodea turned back towards his crayons and coloring book. He sat down on the chair, everything was the same as how he originally left it. He opened to a new page in the book, and this time the page was blank. Giving free reign to the artist's creativity. He could draw whatever he wanted to draw.

He held a crayon in his hand, but he was stumped. He didn't know what to draw. On the top cover of the page, a theme was typed out. It said to draw a hero. Examples included, police officers, firefighters, doctors and even Superman. All of those were nice options, but he wanted to draw someone else.

He looked at his dad, standing confidently in the room. Shoulders back and head looking forward. He was standing in front of mural of a city scape, filled with skyscrapers and buildings and a flag waving in the drawn wind.

The boy with the coal hair and amethyst eyes sat hunched over his chair, drawing.

* * *

 **HI! thank you for reading!**

 **This chapter was shorter than the previous ones. I thought of combining it with the next chapter, ch11, but decided against it. So here it is, a snippet of Killua's parenting and teaching life lessons to his son, Elodea.**

 **I really wanted to write the Hide and Go seek scene and then the art one, where Elodea is just insulting art pieces. Not belligerently...he's a good kid...Anyway!**

 **The years have gone by and all is going well...for now...**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11: The Boy x who x Listens

**Chapter 11: The Boy x who x Listens**

Ages

Killua (27)

Elodea (6)

* * *

Elodea was laying down on the grass, flat on his back. Staring up at the clouds. He looked at the mesh of white cotton balls floating above, contrasting with the natural blue hue of the sky. The clouds were still, motionless in the sea of endless blue.

He squinted his eyes, hoping to see more shapes out of the clouds. He saw a dragon, with the wings sticking upwards and firing breathing out of its mouth. Then he saw a whale, swimming alongside an airplane that passed right through its blow hole. He laughed.

"What do you see?" Elodea asked, still staring up at the sky. He couldn't figure out if the cloud above him was a giant tortoise dancing with a blowfish or one big snow globe with twirling ice-skaters wearing funny hats. For there was a great difference.

The rabbit was munching on clovers, far more interesting and delicious than silly puff balls in the sky.

Elodea flipped onto his tummy. He rested his chin on his arms, staring at the rabbit in the eyes. "You must really like clovers, that's all you ever eat."

The rabbit continued munching, almost finished with its breakfast. It didn't mind the boy with the purple eyes, he was quite nice. He picked the ripest clovers for the rabbit to eat that morning.

"Do you like crackers? I really like crackers. I think I have one in my pocket. Want it?" Elodea fumbled and reached into his pocket, grapping an animal graham cracker that was in the shape of a rhino. He stuffed it in his pocket, two days ago, or maybe it was three? The horn of the rhino chipped off though, he hoped the rabbit wouldn't mind. He placed the cracker next to the remaining bunch of clovers.

The rabbit looked at it with curious red eyes. It bobbed its head up, away from the clovers. Its nose wrinkled and sniffed the sugary cracker with its whiskers caressing the flaky cookie. It took one bite, pleased with the taste test, then continued to munch on the rhino shaped cracker.

Elodea giggled. He reached out his hand, slowly. He wanted to pet the rabbit, just to touch its fluffy white ears. The rabbit tensed up, ceased munching. Elodea could hear the stillness of its aura and how scared it was. The rabbit's normal sound was bright and cheerful. Elodea frowned, he didn't want to scare his little friend. Then he matched his aura with that of the rabbit, bright and cheerful _. I'm your friend,_ thought Elodea, _I'm a rabbit too!_ The rabbit's sound returned back to normal. Bright and cheerful. He let Elodea pet his ears. "Thank you, friend. You're ears are so soft. You're soft fur reminds me of my dad's hair. It's white like yours. Maybe you're related?" Elodea laughed at the thought of matching a pair of bunny ears on his dad's head. He shook his head, not thinking so.

The rabbit was oblivious to the young boy's ramblings or physiological familiarities.

"You're almost out of clovers," Elodea stood up, dusting off the blades of grass that clung his knees, "I'll get more for you." Elodea scoured the ground and found, what looked to him, acres and acres of green clovers. He squatted down and started picking up the three leafed clovers. Then a thought occurred to him. Maybe he could also find a four leaf clover, the luckiest of all clovers. They had to be the most delicious. One time his dad told him that there are clovers luckier than a four leaf clover. _A ten leaf clover is far luckier than a four leaf clover_ , his father said. Elodea shook his head in disbelief. How can so many petals fit unto one clover? Preposterous.

Then he heard a jumpy sound that filled the air, he turned his head and spotted Miss Fox, hiding in the bush. Elodea has seen the beautiful red fox now and again, hiding amongst the shrubbery. Elodea smiled, another friend came to join him! The more the merrier!

"Hello Miss Fox, how are you?" Elodea asked. The fox didn't turn towards him, but was staring off in the fields. Elodea followed its gaze and it fell on the white rabbit munching on the clovers. The reasoning clicked in Elodea's mind. "Do you want me to introduce you to Rabbit?" Fox was probably shy of making new friends, Elodea sympathized with Fox. "He's very nice, he won't bite."

Suddenly, Elodea heard a strange sound coming from the fox. Its aura wasn't jumpy and lively like it always was, it was more restrained and quiet. It felt eerie. Elodea deduced that Fox was really shy and was anxious of making a new friend.

The fox was leaning lower towards the ground, the hairs on its head were sticking up. Elodea walked closer towards the fox, calm.

"I picked plenty of clovers, you both can share-

The fox leaped from the bush, from the darkness, and swiftly pounced towards the rabbit. It beard its fangs and sharpened claws. Elodea dropped the clump of clovers he was carrying and ran after the fox. The fox collided with the rabbit and they both tumbled over. A whimper was heard from the rabbit where the fox bit it in the leg.

"Stop! You're hurting him! Stop!" Elodea sprinted after the fox. He tried prying the fox away from the rabbit, "What are you doing!? Stop! Stop!" He pleaded. He yanked the fox's ear and it whipped its head towards Elodea and swiped its claws at him. Elodea stumbled backwards and fell down on the grass. Tears swelling in his eyes. Fours horizontal cuts were made on his left arm, with blood trickling down from them.

The fox fled from the scene and bested to try another day on eating rabbit for breakfast. It flicked its ears, in annoyance, and shrouded itself in the bushes, no longer to be seen.

Elodea sniffled. The cuts on his arm didn't bother him, but seeing his friend limp on the ground did. Rabbit was motionless, and his aura was flickering. He barely heard it, it was dying out. Elodea picked him up and cradled him in his arms. He ran back towards the inn and cried. "Daddy!"

Killua was sitting on a bench, under the comfy shade of a tree. _The Baker's Inn_ , stood right behind him. He was talking on the phone, but all his attention went straight to his crying son, whose arm was stained with blood. "I'll call you back," he said then immediately hang up the phone. He got up from his seat and ran the rest of the way to Elodea. "What happened?" His eyes were flashed with concern and went straight to Elodea's cuts, ignoring the rabbit entirely.

Tears were jetting down Elodea's eyes, "W-we were playing" sniffling through his words, "and clovers, a-a-and a fox came, a-and" fresh from his memory, he clearly remembered the fox piercing its sharp fangs into the little white rabbit. "Save him daddy," now his voice broke down and turned into pure cries. He couldn't say any more words, his throat wouldn't allow him too.

Killua picked him up and sat him down the bench, examining Elodea's cuts on his arm. Patches of blood soaked into Elodea's shirt, a mix of his own and the rabbit's.

Amberley, the owner of the inn, came bustling through the screen doors. She was a plump woman in her fifties and ran the _Baker's Inn_ with her husband. A lovely couple, adored by the guests that chose to spend their mornings, afternoons, and nights at the inn. She came to tell anyone who was outside that breakfast was ready to eat, today they were serving Belgian waffles with turkey bacon. They also had an assortment of syrups, maple to blueberry to honey. Her sight went immediately onto the father and son, she gasped, "Dear the merciful heavens, what happened?" She placed a hand over her mouth.

"Do you have a first aid kit?" Killua asked, calm.

"Y-yes, I believe we do," she stumbled back through the screen door, "I'll be right back!" She sprinted quickly to get a first aid kit for the young boy.

When Amberley came back with the first aid kit, worrisome. She handed the kit to Killua and held in her own hand a moist washcloth to wipe off the dirt and blood from Elodea's injury. Killua opened the kit, and unwound bandages and uncapped an antibacterial spray. She held the cloth and went to clean Elodea's wound, until he turned his arm away from her. She quirked up an eyebrow, surprised.

"Elodea, give her your arm. It won't hurt."

"Treat him first!" Elodea demanded. He pointed towards the rabbit next to him. Killua sighed, aggravated.

"We'll take care of him, after you," Killua deadpanned.

"No! He's in a lot more pain than I am. Save him first!"

"You come first," Killua corrected, "now give her your arm."

"No!" Elodea swiveled his arm around his back, so they couldn't get to it and had to take care of the rabbit first. Amberley looked at the father and son with sad eyes. She gently grabbed the rabbit and held it in her arms. She turned back in towards the inn.

"The foxes are no good this time of year, right in the heart of spring. After the rabbits are all fattened up by winter." She shook her head, "I'll treat this patients wounds, so let your father take care of yours." Amberley walked back inside the Inn. An aroma of syrup escaped from the inn, and traveled towards Elodea's nose.

"Ow!" said Elodea.

"It will sting for a bit, then it will subside," Killua cleaned the dried blood from Elodea's arm then sprayed on the antibacterial spray. Elodea winced. "What were you doing out in the fields?"

"I was talking with Rabbit."

"Who? Never mind." Killua shook his head, continuing to bandage Elodea's cuts.

"Why?" Elodea said in between his tears, which were beginning to diminish.

"Hmm? Why what?"

"Why did Fox attack Rabbit?" Elodea looked up at Killua with red brimmed eyes.

Killua shrugged. What was he supposed to say? That the fox, a natural predator in nature, was simply following the laws of survival, its pure instincts. It was hungry and it saw a rabbit and it wanted to eat it. Elodea was sensitive to these sort of things.

"Rabbit didn't do anything to Fox. It was mean of her to do that to him." Elodea justified.

"You shouldn't refer to them by names, as if they're people."

"Why not? They're my friends, and we call friends by name."

"They're just animals."

Elodea pouted his cheeks and looked down. "So?" To Elodea, the rhythm of Fox's and Rabbit's aura was the same as any human's he met. If only his dad could hear the things Elodea could, the jumping pattern of a fox or the pitter patters of a rabbit. If Rabbit wanted to chase a butterfly, maneuvering between the trees, its aura would become louder. If it was tired and wanted to sleep in its den dug in the ground, its aura would become softer. Sometimes he thought he was the only who could hear these things. That saddened him, dearly.

"Well, Fox didn't bite Rabbit out of spite or bitterness or jealousy. It wanted to eat."

Elodea cocked his head to the side, confused. "There were enough clovers, they could have shared."

"Elodea, what do you like to eat?"

Elodea remembered the aroma of syrup, and the Belgian waffles being served in the dining room back inside the Inn. "I like waffles, and crackers, and other things too."

"Just like you like to eat waffles and crackers. Rabbits like to eat clovers, and foxes likes to eat rabbits."

"Then do rabbits eat foxes?"

"That would be one interesting reversal of the food chain, but no, they don't."

Elodea let out a sigh, not satisfied with this answer.

"Have you ever heard of the circle of life?" Killua asked. He finished bandaging Elodea's wounds, and placed the supplies back into the first aid kit. It reminded Killua of bandaging Elodea's first wounds, from the fire a long time ago. They healed now and no longer hurt, but left scares on the sides of Elodea's ribcage. He'll have those for the rest of his life.

Elodea shook his head, "No, I haven't. What is it?"

Killua closed the first aid kit and sat on the bench next to Elodea. "It's nature's way of giving back life to earth. If something dies, it gives life back to another." Killua pointed to the fox that attacked the rabbit earlier, it was strolling beside its litter of cubs, two little foxes with fur as fluffy as the clouds. Elodea perked up from his seat. The cubs had an aura just like Miss Fox, jumpy and lively, but unique, as they were different and new to the world.

Elodea smiled and wiped away the last remnants of his tears, he was done with crying. He looked at his arm, protected and clean. "Thanks," he murmured.

"Let's go inside before all the waffles are gone," said Killua. He patted Elodea on the head. Killua peered through the window, "there's a huge crowd and they look hungry."

Elodea laughed, and he heard the sounds of many people's aura in the dining room. There were a lot. They had to act fast or there wouldn't be any more waffles left.

When they came inside, the dining room was filled with guests ranging from those finely dressed to those still in their pajamas with yawns decorated on their faces. They scavenged for an empty table. They found one with two empty seats at the window sill. Perfect. On line, they were lucky to see that another helping of Belgian waffles and crispy turkey bacon was served. While others received cold and soggy waffles, Elodea and Killua received freshly crisp ones that came right out of the toaster.

Killua held one plate in his hand, while Elodea held two. Elodea comfortably sat down on the wooden chair with a smile on his face. He poured a more than generous amount of maple syrup on one plate of the waffles with turkey bacon. Then he walked outside to place the platter near the bench, where little mouths can get to it.

Killua quirked up an eyebrow, munching on a piece of bacon. "It's for Miss Fox, isn't it?"

Elodea shrugged and smiled, "Who can resist waffles with maple syrup?" He turned his head to see the little cubs sniffing at the waffles then proceeding to eat them. Miss Fox was hovering over them, eating the turkey bacon. She looked up at Elodea, and he noticed the glitter in her eyes, before she turned her attention back to her cubs, nibbling the waffles.

He was happy at the fact that not only he is eating waffles basked in syrup, but that his friends won't be snacking on each other today. Rabbit will live for another day, hopping in the fields.

Sugar tingled in his mouth, leaving a smile.

* * *

Elodea sat in the back seat of the car with his hands at his sides. After they checked out of the Inn, they were heading to the annual conference held for hunters. It was a research conference where hunters in many different fields can display and discuss openly about the information they discovered. At these events, judges from the committee are evaluating each project, almost as it it's a science fair. They even hand out fancy colorful ribbons that range in different sizes.

Elodea's hand gripped his seat belt, tight. The road was getting bumpy and his father was not the type to be patient on these kind of roads. He's rather get a flat tire than slow down the car and let bicyclers past by him.

"Are you excited to see Uncle Gon and Aunt Alluka?" Killua asked, peering at Elodea through the rear view mirror. Elodea caught his dad's eyes through the mirror and nodded.

"Yep!" Gon and Alluka were also participating in this year's conference. Killua wasn't the only one to witness the unveiling of the Cayenne Civilization today. Scientists, archeologists, anthropologists, and other hunters were going to listen in on their lecture and what they further discovered. Gon was more than happy to give Killua a sneak peek at his research before the conference, but Killua remained indifferent and chose to learn about the news along with everyone else who will be hearing it for the first time. Gon pouted a signature pout, then mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath, but Killua promised to be there with Elodea to witness the event. Gon rejuvenated with hope. Leorio said that he would definitely be there, since he wasn't on call in the emergency room this week. Kurapika said, he might be able to make it at the end of the conference. He had other work to do. Something about guarding an important celebrity or political figure from a high risk assassination today that could determine the fate of the entire economy. How selfish.

When they walked into the lobby of the center, it was packed. They were handed cards with lanyards to hang around their necks. There was even a piano in the corner of the room, with a woman playing it, eloquently. Elodea was twirling his in his hands. Until he stopped and saw a familiar face in the crowd. The man in the tall navy blue suit waved and fumbled between the hordes of education enthusiasts to get to his friends.

"Leorio!" shouted Elodea.

"That is _Mr. Leorio_ to you."

"Huh? You're that old?"

Mentally, a huge brick briskly plummeted onto _Mr. Leorio's_ head, crushing his confidence and shattering it into millions of pieces. He wasn't sure if he could recover from this major blow.

"I like calling you Leorio better, it suits you more," Elodea smiled.

"It's good to see you again, Elodea." Leorio adjusted his glasses from sliding down his face. "You haven't changed one bit." Elodea isn't afraid to express his feelings. He thought maybe the kid needed a filter. Leorio turned his attention to the white haired man standing next to the free spirited child. "Killua, you made it on time." Leorio stretched out his arms, preparing for a grand hug.

Killua pushed Leorio's arms away, "please, don't nauseate me."

Elodea tugged on Killua's sleeve and pointed towards the corner of the room, where the music was coming from. It intrigued him, greatly. "What's that?"

Leorio interrupted, "Why that my boy, is a beautiful woman." Killua knocked him on the head, hard.

"He's pointing towards the piano, you dimwit."

Elodea, without his dad, walked up towards the woman playing the instrument, creating beautiful music. A _piano_ , that's what his dad said. He ushered past the men and woman, whispering excuse me and pardon me. Finally he stood next to the woman and his eyes drifted towards her hands. They were drifting and floating across the keyboard. Pressing down on each key and delivered a different sound from the rest, unique. Each note resonated in his ears and they were all familiar sounds to him. He heard the aura of trees swaying in the wind, a leaf spiraling towards the ground, a rabbit hopping in the fields, and a fox hiding in a bush. Movement. Life. He was enchanted by these sounds that reminded him of all the things he loved and heard every day.

The woman stopped the song with a graceful lift of her hands then settled them unto her lap. She turned to her right and was surprised to see the little boy, a little more than three feet tall staring at her with wide eyes.

"That was beautiful," he said in awe.

The woman smiled, "thank you." She turned her head towards the group of people loudly chatting behind her, oblivious to her music, "I don't understand why they hired a pianist for the conference, and no one bothers to listen at these sort of things." She shrugged, irritated. "At least, I'm still getting paid."

"I was listening."

The woman wore a simple black dress with her hair tied up in a ponytail. Her candle fingers laid neatly on her lap, poised. She smiled at him, "Have you ever played the piano before?" Elodea shook his head from side to side. This was his first encounter with this wondrous instrument and he wanted to know more.

"I haven't," he paused and shifted in his stance, "but I want to."

The woman scooted over on her bench and tapped on the seat, "I could use a break from playing Beethoven all day, I'll give you a free lesson." Elodea excitedly sat down on the black wooden bench. He gulped and stared down at the keys. He was also nervous.

"This is middle C." She pointed at the white key, in the middle of the board. "This is the home key of the piano." She placed her right thumb on the key and pressed down. Elodea smiled, from one single note played on the piano. She proceeded to play the C major scale.

Elodea was speechless.

"You try."

Elodea nervously placed his right thumb on the C note. He pressed down, and not only heard the sound of the strings being tapped on the inside of the piano, but the sound of Rabbit's aura. He was euphoric. He followed her instructions, first thumb then index then middle finger then thumb under leading back to first finger. He played the C major slowly and precisely. While playing, he envisioned Rabbit hopping through the fields, searching for a four leaf clover, maybe even a ten leaf clover.

"Excellent," she said. She thought of what else to teach the boy. Then a lightbulb went off in her head. She will teach him the first song she ever learned to play on the piano. "Do you know the nursey rhyme, _Mary had a little lamb?"_

"I do."

"That was the first song I learned how to play, it's a cute one too. It's an easy and a simple song for beginners." She placed Elodea's fingers on the black keys. "These are flats and sharps, right now you have your second finger on the F Sharp. Never use your thumb to play a black key, it's too uncomfortable with the hand."

Elodea nodded, then started playing the rhyme slowly, before the pianist had a chance to show him. She gawked.

He noticed her open jaw and flustered, "Did I not play it right?" He thought it was easy to play. He already knew the rhythm of the song and the keys to the right were higher pitched then the ones to the left of them, lower pitched.

She shook away her disbelief, "No, you played it exactly right. It was perfect. That was the best rendition of _Mary had a little lamb_ I ever heard."

Elodea blushed.

Killua was standing off to the side, clapping. The pianist noticed the handsome young man walking towards them. She stopped herself from swooning off her bench.

"Hi daddy," said Elodea, merrily. "Look what I can play." He played the nursery rhyme again. Proud at mastering his first song on the piano.

"Amazing," he said. Leorio came strolling in behind Killua, then leaned on the lid of the baby grand piano.

"Hey," Leorio winked, the pianist rolled her eyes. "Maybe you can teach me a lesson or two."

"Leave before I call security," she said, deadpanned. Leorio's arm slid off from the lid, with his pride and dignity crashing down with it. With his back hunched over he proceeded to wobble towards the conference room.

"I-I'll save you guys seats," he said with a dark cloud of despair looming over his head. Today, was simply not his day.

Elodea waved goodbye to the pianist and she continued playing more wondrous songs on the piano. He was determined to someday play at her level, to play songs like she does.

As they were walking towards the room, a man with red hair approached them. Elodea noticed a star and tear drop painted on the man's face. He sort of looked like a clown. Killua pushed Elodea behind him, on guard.

"Hello, Killua," Hisoka purred, creepily.

"What do you want, clown?" Killua hissed between his teeth.

"What's with that unpleasant look on your face? I am a spectator just like everyone else at this event. Hunters are allowed to engage in the pursuit of knowledge of their colleagues, are they not?"

Killua scoffed, "That's obviously not your agenda."

"On the contrary," Hisoka held up bags of fliers, merchandise, stickers, pamphlets and other free commodities given out by the researchers. "They are incredibly generous at these events. I've received so many pens and pencils for my stationary set."

 _All useless things_ , Killua thought.

"But you're right," Hisoka dropped his bags, "there are other things I'd rather be doing now, that are far more fun."

Elodea looked up at the man with the red hair. He heard the sound of his aura. At first it was restrained, calm, and quiet. But now it was growing louder and louder. It was just like Miss Fox's aura he heard this morning when it pounced on Rabbit. This man was going to attack his father! Elodea's body acted faster than his mind could keep up.

Hisoka looked down at the little boy, wide eyed, whose arms were spread apart in front of his father. The urge to fight dissipated in the air and was replaced with amusement.

"Leave my dad alone. You big bully!" Elodea's arms were shaking, but his voice was strong.

Hisoka smiled and bent down at eye level towards the child, "Why hello there, little boy. What's your name?" His stare made Elodea shudder, his spine quivered and his instincts told him to run away. But he kept his arms up, in front of his dad, and held back sniffles.

"E-Elodea!" he stuttered.

"Ah yes, I think your daddy's brother told me about you. You're such a good boy." Hisoka smiled.

"Brother?" Elodea muttered to himself, confused.

Killua immediately pulled Elodea back towards him, shielding him from the crazed clown. He held his son, tight. Then proceeded to walk past Hisoka towards the conference room. "Get lost or I'll break your nose."

"I'll be looking forward to it." Hisoka laughed, "See you inside, I'll also be listening to Gon and Alluka's lecture as well. They certainly have come a long way, don't you think?"

Killua sneered.

Elodea looked up at Killua, "Daddy, you have a brother? You said you don't have any siblings other than Aunt Alluka."

"I don't," Killua said, lying. "That clown doesn't know what he's talking about. He's delusional and needs help."

Elodea nodded, not questioning any further.

They sat themselves down in the back row of the auditorium. Leorio was fumbling with his tie, all depressed and such. Being called an old man AND rejected by a beautiful woman in the same day, hopefully his car doesn't get towed away for having an expired license plate. Gon and Alluka were already standing on the stage, preparing the slideshow and reports to present to the public.

Gon waved at Killua, seeing him all the way in the back row of the room. Elodea gleefully waved back, excited for his aunt and uncle.

A smile spread across Gon's face. Things would be different after today.

For all of them.

* * *

Hisoka leaned over the railing, admiring the fountain spouting water into the air. Before he would enter the conference room and admire the progress his little fruit has made, he made a phone call. "I thought you would be coming today, it's boring without you."

"It's not necessary," the man said, "at the moment."

"Don't you want to see your brother and especially," Hisoka purred, "your nephew. He seems like a nice kid, contrary to what you've been saying."

The man scoffed over the phone.

"I think I found another fruit, still unripe though." Hisoka could feel the man's dark aura seething through the phone. He held the phone away from his ear, "Illumi, you're so easy to tease. I won't be doing anything, I know you have your own agenda in mind."

"You're so considerate," Illumi said sarcastically.

"Although, the wheels in my head have been turning. Why wait? It's been six years, and I think you can make your move now."

"Hisoka, I appreciate you not interfering with my plans."

"Of course, that's what friends are for."

"And second," the man sneered through the phone. "I won't repeat the same mistakes that happened between Killua and Alluka years ago. I was hasty to make progress and lost all odds of winning. Not only did Killua not return home, but I also lost the chance to control Alluka's ability. I'm no more of a disgrace than they are to the family."

"You were hasty," Hisoka mocked.

"I'm going to be doing things differently this time. When I'm through with all of this. Killua will walk through the Zoldyck gates, on his own free will."

"Why is that?"

"Because _friend,_ " said Illumi, "Love is the greatest of all powers, even far greater than nen."

"I never knew you were such a romantic."

"Shut up."

"I'm excited as to what you're planning, but you're leaving me entirely in the dark."

"Sorry, but its safety precautions. I can't have anyone learning about my plans. You understand?"

"Of course, I wouldn't trust me either." Hisoka laughed, "Remember don't be hasty, and you wouldn't want to pick the fruit while it's still unripe." Hisoka looked over his shoulder, seeing the last guests enter the conference room. He caught a glimpse of the little boy sitting in the back row, a new fruit to Hisoka's ever growing collection. The lecture was about to start soon, the history and culture of the Cayenne Civilization. He was going to see his own ripened fruit, ready to be plucked. "I have to leave now."

"All good things come to those who wait."

"I'm so glad we're finally on the same page," Hisoka smirked. "Goodbye friend."

The lines disconnected.

Before Hisoka would walk into the conference room, he stood, frozen in place. His phone dropped to the ground. One hand gripping the railing, tight. The other was covering his eyes, he started chuckling. It took him so much effort, so much strength, he almost cracked under the pressure.

He had to quell his bloodlust, or else the conference room would turn into a graveyard of a merciless massacre.

* * *

 **Hello! Thank you for reading chapter 11. The reason this chapter came out a lot faster was because I wrote it before I wrote chapter 10. I went a little out of order, but all is good now.**

 **So! This chapter has some key points, the beginning of Elodea's nen (I'm so excited to write more about it!), the introduction that will lead into the next chapter of the Cayenne Civilization (major important), and a snippet of Illumi's sinister plan (I was going to write a little more, but I didn't want to unveil everything at once, sorry!)**

 **I was so happy to include Hisoka in this chapter! He is so creepy XD**

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and I hope you'll enjoy the next!**


	12. Chapter 12: A x New x Discovery

**Chapter 12: A x New x Discovery**

 _Aunt Mito makes the best oatmeal in the whole wide world._

 _She cooks the oats just right, to the point of them being fluffy as cotton candy. Then she lets the whole mixture sit on top of the stove, cooling, so a spoonful wouldn't burn away anyone's taste buds. Its own kind of magic working its way through the concoction._

 _Next comes toppings._

 _Now, this is the part that changes on a day to day basis, Mito grows her own fruits and vegetables in her garden in the backyard of her brick house. Bushels of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries grow there. That contain endless possibilities of combinations for scrumptious delicacies. It's even cooler because her house is located on top of a hill on Whale Island that overlooks the entire ocean. On really stormy nights the waves crash against the stone wall of the hill and mist shoots up to the sky. Awesome._

 _One morning while Elodea was sprinkling blueberries and honey on his oatmeal, the subject of Gon found its way to the table._

" _How long did daddy and Uncle Gon know each other?" Elodea asked with a mouth full of oatmeal and blueberries._

" _For a long time. They knew each other since they were kids," said Mito, reminiscing the days of her young boy, now flew away from the nest, who once sat at the table with them every morning._

" _How did they meet? Did they meet here on Whale Island?"_

 _Suddenly, great-great-great grandmother entered the room. Elodea didn't know how old she really was. Every time he asked, she said she was 85, but she's been saying that for the past couple of years. Elodea munched on another spoonful of his oatmeal, looking at granny skeptically._

" _Good morning grandmother. How did you sleep?"_

" _Same as always, I woke up this morning breathing and alive." She looked at Elodea, who was gleefully swaying in her chair, swinging his legs back and forth, not even touching the ground. As if eating oatmeal was the most exciting thing in the world. "He reminds me so much of Gon, ah, how the years fly by."_

" _Hi Granny!" said Elodea, "How did my daddy meet Uncle Gon?"_

 _Granny hobbled over and sat down at the table at her own sluggish pace. She raised the cup up to her mouth, poised as a ballerina, and took a sip of her tea then exhaled. Relishing the aroma of freshly dried and grounded chamomile leaves. Elodea was leaning on the edge of his seat, waiting for her to answer._

" _They met during the Hunter Exam," she simply said._

 _An answer! Elodea perked up with glitters of excitement encased in his eyes, but then confusion swept across his vision. "What's that?" He knew his dad was a hunter and Uncle Gon was a hunter too, and hunters do all sorts of things. That's why they travel around so much, that's what his dad says anyway. Him and Killua travel to all sorts of different places, because of work. His dad was incredibly busy. That's why Aunt Mito and Granny were watching Elodea for a few days. His dad had another assignment, a dangerous one apparently. Somewhere far away._

 _To Elodea's dismay, he couldn't go with him._

" _It's a test for people who want to become hunters. Did you know that Gon's father, Ging, is also a hunter?"_

" _Woooaah, really?"_

 _Granny nodded, "you bet your oatmeal that I do." Then she leaned back in her seat, reminiscing the past. "You know, Gon's father, also my grandson, left him on the island 26 years ago. Never came back, not even once." She took another sip of her tea, casually._

 _Elodea shuddered. Would his dad leave him here on the island and never come back? Nah._

 _Mito threw up her hands in the air, exasperated. "Let's talk about something else, one more word about hunters and that person will be swimming with the master of the swamp at the bottom of the lake."_

" _Hunter. Hunter. Hunter." Elodea chimed, smiling in-between the bits of oatmeal that stuck on his lips._

 _Mito glared and narrowed her eyes. With one movement, she pushed her chair away from the table and Elodea leaped from his seat and ran out of the kitchen, running for the hills. Laughing his lungs off._

 _Mito went chasing after him while Granny sat at the table drinking her tea, calmly. She could hear them running on the hard wooden floors and their boisterous laughter perforating through the walls. Granny added another spoonful of honey in the cup and mixed it in with her tea, "Who would trade this in for peace and quiet? Anything, but a full house is too boring." As if reliving the past, it felt like their little Gon was back home again._

 _She sipped her tea and let the laughter fill the house._

… _.._

 _Elodea was out in the woods, playing with some of the other kids on the Island. Which weren't a lot to begin with. Whale Island was incredibly small. Plus, it was mainly a tourist destination during the vacationing season and a small port for visiting fisherman. There was another boy who was Elodea's age, who had a little sister who was four years old. She carried in her arms a stuffed animal. It was a pink bunny with raspberry blue blushies decorating its cheeks, with a tail made out of cotton._

 _They were out playing near the lake, where the master of the swamp resides. According to legend that is. Elodea had his doubts, until he heard a slight buzzing in his ear. He didn't know what it was, but it was persistent and grew louder when he got closer to the lake. He shook his head and thought nothing of it._

" _Why'd you go and tell mom?" Kent yelled at his sister. "You promised you wouldn't say anything, and now she took away my favorite toy engine." He stumped his foot on the ground, frustrated._

" _Because you wouldn't play with me. Bl-eeh," Mimi stuck her tongue out at her brother. Elodea stood at the sidelines, watching the two bickering siblings. He always wished he had a sibling to play with, but at times like these, watching Kent and Mimi fight, he was glad he was an only child._

 _Kent grabbed Mimi's bunny and tossed it into the lake, out of spite. It was bobbing up and down in the water, creating ripples that cascaded after it. Mimi started crying and Elodea stood there with his jaw hung open._

" _You didn't have to toss her bunny into the lake." Elodea's voice carried over the sobs of the little girl._

" _Now she knows what it's like to lose her favorite toy."_

" _That's so mean!" said Elodea._

" _Hmmph! She'll get over it." Kent turned his head to the side. But from Mimi's persisting wails, she wasn't to get over her cotton candy bunny so easily. She was even using her pigtails, tied with flower scrunches, to wipe away her overflowing tears._

" _I'm telling mom!" Mimi cried._

 _Elodea had enough with this injustice! He threw off his shoes and marched straight into the water, with the water covering his feet then ankles then legs. The water was now up to his waist, he was just a few more steps closer to grabbing the stuffed animal. Now he no longer could touch the ground, the water was up to his neck._

" _You can do it!" shouted Mimi, her tears dried on her face. She was jumping up and down at the shore line, cheering on the boy who was saving her precious friend._

 _Elodea reached out his hand, stretching his fingers, he was so close. His fingers could almost touch the bunny, then suddenly the buzzing sound became louder. It echoed through his ears and terrified him. A giant shadow roamed around in the water. The water became choppy, the waves were pushing Elodea and forth, crashing over his head._

 _He grabbed the bunny, only to be plunged underneath the water along with the waves. He opened his eyes and bubbles of air escaped his mouth from what he saw. He saw a giant fish the size of a small whale. It was blue with spiky scales along its sides. It had long crab legs on its underbelly. Elodea panicked when he saw the fish open its mouth revealing spiky, daggered teeth. It was not pretty. The buzzing sound was coming from the fish. It was swimming closer to him, with one swish of its fins at a time._

 _Elodea's eyes shot open, it was too late for him to swim away, and the fish would get to him before he could reach the surface. He didn't know how, but by pure instinct, he shrouded his aura. He unconsciously blended himself in with his surroundings. With the fish, with the algae, with the plants. He was no longer a boy floating in the water, he was another water weed of the thousands swaying in the waves._

 _The master of the swamp stopped swimming and the look in its eyes disappeared. Before it eyed Elodea as a target, but its vision swept past Elodea. As if not seeing him at all. The fish swam back to the bottom of the lake, ignoring the boy entirely._

 _Elodea swam back up to the surface and sucked in a breath of the fresh air into his lungs. He swam back to shore with the soaked bunny. Mimi thanked Elodea endlessly and hugged her bunny and happily twirled in the air. Her dress soaked up the fresh water from the stuffed animal. From this day forth, she would take extra care of her bunny, maybe even teach it how to swim._

 _He looked back at the lake, still hearing the buzzing sound that came from the fish. It was not as loud as when he was face to face with it. He asked Kent and Mimi if they heard the mysterious buzzing sound too, but they said no and that maybe he has too much water lodged in this ears._

 _Later on, Elodea tested the same thing with Mito and Granny. When they were outside, tending to the gardens. Elodea heard the light murmurs that come from the trees and flowers. The trees spoke to him when they are wafted with a strong breeze or when a bee is fluttering over the flowers. He asked if they could hear anything._

 _At first, they played along with Elodea, thinking it was a game contrived by the little boy; but in truth, they couldn't hear anything at all._

…

 _Elodea had an extra grand smile on his face, because he would be leaving the island with his dad today. Not that he didn't enjoy spending time with Aunt Mito and Granny, they were delightful. But today, yes today, his dad would be finished with his assignment and come back to Whale Island to pick him up._

 _Elodea hummed a cheerful tune and packed his bags. He couldn't wait to tell his dad all the things that happened, swimming with the master of the swamp and all the magical things he heard. He walked into the hallway and spotted Mito talking on the phone. He stopped and listened._

" _Yes, he's doing great. Oh, okay. No, not at all. It's not a problem. Bye." She hung up the phone, then spotted Elodea standing right next to her. He had to strain his neck to look up at her, she was incredibly tall. Well, that and he was only 3 feet tall. In retrospect, he was incredibly short._

" _Was that daddy? Can I talk to him, please?"_

" _I'm sorry Elodea, but he's really busy. His assignment got extended for a little longer." Mito tried to break the news to him, gently. That Killua wouldn't be arriving at the island anytime soon. He was currently hunting down criminals that were illegally forging fake hunter licenses. They escaped and Killua had to chase them, all over again. Then she saw the frown that was quickly spreading across Elodea's face. "But that means you can spend more fun time here with Aunt Mito and Granny!" she said, referring to herself in third person._

 _Elodea sniffled, "he'd said he would be back today."_

" _We can have lots of fun here," Mito tried to playfully gesture, "you can stay here for as long as you like, forever even."_

" _No! I want to go home!" Elodea ran back to his room and flopped onto his bed, crying._

…

 _The days have gone by with Elodea standing by the phone, waiting for his dad to call or making calls himself, only to leave voice messages after hearing his dad's recorded voice after the beep every time, monotone and short. Eventually he stopped leaving messages, then stopped calling all together._

 _He started thinking that his dad really did abandon him and that he was never coming back, like what Uncle Gon's father did to him. Elodea wondered if he did anything wrong to upset his dad. Was he too noisy? Did his dad not like the macaroni art he made for him for father's day? Was he annoying? Did he not like Elodea squirting up milk through his nose whenever he laughed? These thoughts drifted through Elodea's head while folding laundry outside with Mito. The white sheets were flickering in the wind._

" _Isn't this fun, Elodea?" Said Mito._

 _Elodea sighed and folded the dry blanket into a square then set it into the basket. He repeated the process all over again. One after another. Was he destined to spend the rest of his days on the Island? Did Uncle Gon ever thought if his dad returning for him, hoping to come back to the island for him?_

 _Granny was clipping more wet clothing and sheets onto the clothesline. She smiled at Elodea, he tried to smile back._

 _Elodea turned his head towards the docks, where the fisherman anchored their vessels. The ocean breeze brushed against his face, trying to relax him. It didn't work. The aura from the trees or the grass or the flowers or the bugs didn't relax him either. He tried to tune them out._

 _Then he froze in place, with the cloth he was holding slipping through his hands._

 _He heard a familiar sound. No, it wasn't a trick. It couldn't be. He dropped the freshly dried, white sheet onto the ground and ran down the hill, down the dirt road._

 _Mito turned to Granny, "Does he hate folding laundry that badly?"_

 _Elodea ran as fast as his little legs could take him. He ran down the dirt road, stumbling a few times, scraping his knees in the process. He ran into the port, past the fisherman, past the merchants, past the vendors, past the smelly, salty fish caught in the nets from today's fresh catch._

 _Elodea ran past a fisherman, almost knocking him off the ground. Elodea hastily apologized, not slowly down. Not one bit. The man watched the boy zoom past the morning market and replied, "Look at that flying fish go!"_

 _He ran out onto the wooden docks, past the seagulls flying away from him. He ran past hordes of people exiting from the boat._

 _Finally, he ran into his father's arms._

" _Did Mito tell you? I wanted to surprise you," said Killua, returning from his finished assignment._

 _Elodea shook his head, smiling, "No, I just knew."_

* * *

"Welcome everyone, thank you for joining us today," said Gon. Gon and Alluka just finished setting up all the materials they needed for their presentation; slides, artifacts, and projectors.

The lights in the room dimmed and a projector sent bright light onto the white screen on the center stage. Elodea fidgeted in his seat next to Leorio. From the corner of Killua's eye, he saw Hisoka in the back row, grinning wildly. _Ugh_.

"We appreciate everyone who financially and emotionally supported us through our research and difficult times. Finally, we are happy to share all the information we learned with you all today. But before we begin the lecture, would everyone please offer a moment of silence to all the friends, family, and loved ones, lost on the Black Whale years ago. Hopefully, with the continued research of the Dark Continent, we will prevent another tragedy such as that, from happening in the future." Gon, Alluka, and everyone else in the room titled their heads downward in respect for the thousands of people lost in the last voyage to the Dark Continent.

The Black Whale was a vessel created by the Kakin Kingdom for the expedition. The royal family of Kakin, celebrities, and thousands of civilians boarded the ship for the uncharted land, some seeing it as an exciting adventure, and behind closed doors, a battle ground for the succession war to take place. The first phase of the voyage went swimmingly, but after a belligerent persuasion from the King of Kakin to take a different route past the ocean borders for the fun of it. They sailed into monster infested waters with nen beasts bigger than that of the Black Whale.

There is no need to go over the details of the drama that was held up on the first two floors of the decks and others held on perpetual lockdown, the mayhem that ensued from the tyrannical oceans and the beasts that occupied them, or the struggle to get to the life boats that didn't match the number of passengers onboard the ship.

The ship sank. Along with thousands of civilians, to the bottom of the ocean.

A slide was projected onto the screen, depicting the known world, Alluka spoke, "As you all know, we live in the known world located in the great lake called Mobius in the Dark Continent. Magical beasts, humanoid beings, and even our own ancestors are said to originate from the Dark Continent." The slide of the known world, zoomed out, revealing satellite images of the unknown world. Only a little more past the ocean borders. The heavy dark purple clouds covered the land below it.

"With the study of the Cayenne Civilization, that immigrated to Mobius, to our known world thousands of years ago, proves that theory." More pictures appeared on the projector, picturing runes and scientific illustrations of the artifacts and remains of the Cayenne's. Journalists were scribbling down all the words spilling from the stage onto their notepads, others were recording the whole lecture entirely with tape recorders. Several members of the zodiacs were sitting in the front row, nodding in agreement. Cheadle Yorkshire was one of them, the 14th and current president of the Hunter Association.

Gon spoke, "The Cayenne Ruins are located in United States of Saherta," more pictures of the ruins appeared, pyramids that were finally crafted and temples etched with detailed designs impervious to the weathering of time and nature. "These ruins are in pristine condition, comparing them to those from the other ruins built at the same time using carbon dating, they should be nothing, but rubble and dust by now."

Gon further went into a tangent on the sophisticated tools used by the Cayenne's to attain this feat. They talked about the culture, art, religion, and language of the civilization. How the records state their civilization flourished upon settling in the known world. When it was finally time for only the hunter's to listen, Killua's ears perked up when he heard this detail.

"From deciphering the runes and language, this much can be told so far. Before the Cayenne's immigrated to the known world, they had to survive the merciless world full of nen beasts and we only experience a fraction of the great calamities that plague our modern world today." He paused, "Hiding. Running. Concealing. Those were their skills they used in that land to survive on a day to day basis. They were highly attuned to the presence of aura, different from the ones that normal humans are death to. They could feel and hear the aura from the creatures around them. Its gives us no reason to doubt why they came over here, to stop living in fear and live their lives in peace."

While living, eh, more like _trying_ to survive on a daily basis, not knowing if they would live to see the next day. They experienced famine, plagued by diseases, and hunted down by larger and stronger creatures. They lived in a horrifying world. This also explains why other nen beasts, on the harmless level compared to the other kind, live in the Known World. They were too weak to survive in the Dark Continent. Natural selection pushed them out. They found their way to Mobius.

Alluka spoke, "Although, records have stated that they have enjoyed hundreds of years of prosperity in Saherta, but the cause to the fall of the civilization is still unknown. One goal of ours was to find out, how they arrived to Mobius. All we currently know is that they came by sea. Nothing about the way or route or path they chose. They betted everything they had that this new world, which they knew nothing about or even existed, was better than the one they currently lived in. There could have been no land, they could have fallen into the clutches of the monsters in the oceans, but no. They took a chance and had faith that there was a better world out there and they luckily found it," she paused, "They left no records of ways to retrace their steps to the Dark Continent, keep in mind, they would never go back. But! They may have left clues, hard to find ones that is."

Another picture appeared on the screen. It looked a jigsaw puzzle and the lines were convoluted and crisscrossed going in many different directions. Killua quirked up an eyebrow at the picture. His mind, easily, thought up of what it could be. It was a map.

"Upon accidental discovery by one of our colleagues. He slipped and fell through a trap door that leads to an underground labyrinth underneath the ruins. We believe that, although the Cayenne's had no intention of returning to the Dark Continent, they had to document their history secretively. Not only protecting their own people from venturing back there, but also outsiders who are curious about the world. Perhaps even leaving it as a warning for future generations.

"Which is why, after we learn of how they arrived to Mobius and the creatures they've encountered, we will retrace their steps. We have already received sponsorship by the V6 to begin the 151st voyage to the Dark Continent."

….

Kurapika arrived at the very end of the lecture, apparently saving the fate of the entire economy comes first to sitting in on a friend's scientific discovery of the century. He needs to prioritize better!

Killua had a couple of things to discuss with Gon, privately, so Elodea was handed off to Leorio and Kurapika. They were waiting in the lobby. They scooted the sofa chairs in the lobby, around a coffee table with old magazines about outdated dental hygiene. Good thing Leorio had a deck of playing cards in this pocket, they were currently playing a vigorous round of 'Go Fish' and Leorio was losing without the slightest trace of dignity.

"Don't be such a sore loser, Leorio," said Kurapika. "This is a children's game, after all."

"Hmp! I'm going easy for Elodea's sake."

"Go Fish!" gleefully shouted Elodea. He took another hand of cards from Leorio, receiving another full house to his ever growing collection.

"Wha—aaat!" shouted Leorio in response, "What-how did you- are you hiding extra cards under the table!?"

"Only losers grovel for false redemption." Kurapika always said wise things. Leorio slouched in his seat, failing at all sides of life.

"He's cheating!" whined Leorio and pointed towards the coal haired boy. It was hilarious seeing a grown man outwitted by a six year old. Precious.

"Am not!" retorted Elodea. They bickered with each other like siblings. There was once a time when Elodea did not like the funny looking man named Leorio. Over the years, he warmed up to him and so did Leorio.

Kurapika then turned his attention towards Elodea, smiling. "Let's know for certain, shall we?" He conjured his chains on his right hand out of thin air. A small ball and chain plopped down his hand, swaying then ceased moving. Elodea was wide eyed and speechless.

"How did you do that?" Excitement fizzing through Elodea, like a shaken up soda can.

"Magic." Kurapika smiled. In the distance, Leorio coughed _liar_ under his breath _,_ but Elodea and Kurapika paid no mind to him.

"What does it do?"

"It can tell when a person is lying."

"Wooooaaah, try it on me. Try it on me, please."

Kurapika held in his laughter, then proceeded with the interrogation with the boy. Over the earlier 'Go Fish Scandal' stated by Leorio. "The ball will move if you lie and remain still if you tell the truth. Elodea, did you hide cards under the table? Answer yes or no."

"No," said Elodea. The ball remained motionless. Elodea was mesmerized. "That was amazing!"

"It didn't do anything!" Leorio bluntly stated, sucking out all the fun from the room. Joy kill.

"Can I tell a lie now?"

"Sure, by all means," people tell lies all the time, not that they should. "Elodea, are you a purple polka dotted Kiriko disguised as our dear friend Elodea? Answer yes or no." Elodea knew what that magical beast was. He saw one once with his dad while exploring the Meesh-mill Swamp. They are clever creatures, well, not as clever as his dad.

"Yes!" Elodea squealed. He saw the ball sway a little, then move in a circle back and forth. A ball and chain wasn't even needed to catch his obvious lie, but he was astounded by this trick. Kurapika wasn't even moving his hand. Elodea tugged on Leorio's jacket. "Did you see that?! Did you see that?! It knew I lied!"

Leorio yawned and barely opened his eyes, unimpressed. He mumbled in one jumbled whisper, "yeahthatssometrickkurapikashouldjointhecircus."

Ignoring Leorio, Kurapika turned to Elodea. "What did I miss at the lecture?"

Elodea swayed in his seat and looked up from his hand of cards. "Well, there was umm, the Cay, umm, cayeee, um…..

"Cayenne."

"Yeah that. Uncle Gon and Aunt Alluka talked a lot about the culture and the labyrinth and the Black Whale-" Elodea paused, he heard the aura coming from both of his friends. Their expressions on their faces may have masked their feelings, but their aura rung of sadness. Because both Kurapika and Leorio were there that day. They took part in the voyage to the Dark Continent on the Black Whale. Kurapika was serving as a guard to Queen Ito and Leorio was apprenticing under Cheadle in the science division. Suddenly Leorio shrieked out from nowhere, bystanders looked over to see where the crying girl was coming from, but their sites settled solely unto Leorio.

A spider was crawling on his playing cards then unto his hand. It was huge and hairy and ugly. "Oh my gawd, oh my gawd, someone do something." Leorio was about to smack the spider, with his good hand, until Elodea stopped him.

"Wait," Elodea stood up and cupped the spider in his hands, "he's more scared of you than you are of him." He walked over to a potted plant in the lobby and placed the spider on a nice cozy leaf.

"Spiders don't scare you?" asked Leorio.

"Nope. All life is precious." Elodea heard the beat of the spider's nen, for all living things emit aura. It was scared and felt vulnerable on the man's hand. "Do they scare you?" asked Elodea in return.

"N-No, I'm a grown man. Why would I be?" said Leorio, fixing his tie.

Elodea giggled than turned to Kurapika, "Do spiders scare you Kurapika?"

Kurapika put down his playing cards then exhaled, "No." He paused, "once the head is eliminated the legs can be taken down individually. The only thing I fear, is that my rage will fade over time."

Elodea nodded, not quite understanding what the blonde haired man said. Leorio sat there, silent. Unknown to Elodea, they were talking about two different kinds of spiders.

Kurapika's were far more deadly and did not think of life as precious as he did.

…..

Killua stayed behind with Gon and Alluka, to convey his wavering concerns. He was pacing around the table with his hands in his pockets.

"Are you sure?" asked Gon. "Did you ask him?"

"Yes, he tells me all the time that he hears things. At first I thought he was joking around with me, but he kept on persisting with it. I even had Leorio check his ears." Killua rolled his eyes. "Normal and healthy is what he said." Leorio is a licensed physician, but Killua still thinks he is a dimwit at times.

"What does Elodea say?" asked Alluka.

"He says that he can hear things coming from animals and plants. Before we came here, he was conversing with a rabbit. They were having an in-depth conversation too." Killua said, he didn't think his son was crazy or that he was lonely and made up imaginary friends, but it was something else. Something bigger than he expected it would be. "Kukan'yu is very close to Saherta, isn't it? Miles apart from each other. You even said that the fall of the civilization is still unknown."

"Yes, but we have hypothesizes. It could have been from disease, conquest by another civilization, utter annihilation, dispersion, or relocation. All civilizations fade over time, or blend into nations around them."

"Elodea always seems to know where I am, always. I could never win at one game of hide and seek. You even said that Cayenne children bear strong bonds towards their parental figures." During the lecture, Killua payed extra attention as to what was being said. Cayenne children first recognize their parents' aura in the world and stay close to them for protection. It was also a way for families to never lose track of one another, a safety mechanism.

"What are you implying?"

"I think Elodea is a descendant from the Cayenne Civilization," Killua said, firmly. "Even if there's just a little bit in his blood, I think he is one." Killua paused, "I want to know more about my son."

"You know him and love him? Isn't that enough?" said Alluka.

Killua titled his head downwards, "Your right, it is enough, but I feel so heart broken when he asks me if I can hear the same things he does and I can't say yes." He didn't want the way in Elodea's eyes to change when he looked up at him. He didn't want Elodea to realize that his dad his different from him. They are different, not even blood related. He would never tell Elodea that, he would keep that secret along with all the other ones he's been hording over the years hidden away. Would his son love him less if he found out the truth?

Gon patted Killua on the shoulder, "Don't get so distraught over it. Your family and that's all that matters. Why not come to Saherta with us? We're leaving tonight to continue our research."

"Workaholics," Killua scoffed. "Did you even have time to schedule in a honeymoon with your crazy work load?"

"We did," sheepishly said Alluka, "in Saherta."

 _Of course_ , Killua rolled his eyes.

"But before coming with us," Gon leaned into Killua's ear, "The Hunter exam is right around the corner and the committee is still looking for proctors."

Killua and Gon shared a light bulb moment.

….

Elodea held Killua's hand on the way out of the lobby, out of the conference building, out on the sidewalk, smiling. Before they crossed the street, they had to wait for a tow truck to drive past them first. Apparently it was towing a car that had an expired license plate, which read, " ." Killua narrowed his eyes. Yup, Leorio proved to be the greatest dimwit in the world. Astounding.

Killua noticed the way Elodea admiringly eyed the piano leaving the conference hall. So before they would leave town and head to their next destination, who knows where. They stood in front of a pawn shop that displayed a bunch of used instruments in the window case. From trumpets to clarinets to keyboards.

Killua opened the door, with Elodea following behind him. The bell chimed when they entered. Signaling a customer. With money. An old man with an almost bald head and circular glasses so close to his face, you couldn't even see his eyes stood at the counter. He was dusting off trinkets with overly knocked up prices. He looked up from his tidying work and greeted the customers. That have money.

"Hello, what can I help you look for?"

"A piano."

"Yes, we have plenty of them. From classical to baby grand to electrical jazz organs. What would you like?" The man asked. He examined Killua from head to toe. Searching for a wallet full of moola.

"One that fits in the back of my car."

The man nodded, in total agreement, "Excellent choice, I think I have one you're looking for in stock."

….

From the moment they entered the apartment, Elodea plugged in the electrical keyboard into the outlet and played. The keyboard was no more than 4 feet long and fit into the back seat of the car, perfectly. The man was even nice enough to give batteries for the electrical musical device, free of charge. Wow. How generous. He could have charged an extra 5 dollars if he wanted to. Maybe seeing the enthusiasm of music appreciation in today's youth brought tears to his eyes? Eh, who knows?

Killua even bought a song book full of nursery rhymes and easy folk songs for beginners to play on the piano. A complimentary music score of moonlight sonata, by Ludwig Van Beethoven was included, also free of charge from the store keeper. Woah, generosity is bad for business.

That night, Killua happily watched as Elodea played through the entire book of nursey rhymes. He even played the first few stanzas of moonlight sonata. He would have played more, but he fell asleep at the keyboard.

Dreaming of his newfound love for music.

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you for reading chapter 12!**

 **There are multiple discoveries that happen in this chapter, for Killua, Gon, Alluka, Elodea, Kurapika, and even Leorio hahaha (his car got towed)**

 **What are Gon and Killua brainstorming about? Is Elodea really a descendant from the Cayenne Civilization? How will the Dark Continent play into his future? And why is the universe so cruel to Leorio!? All will be revealed, eventually.**

 **One scene I wanted to include in this chapter was with Elodea and Kurapika. The spider and Kurapika's chain scene.**

 **Also, I hope I didn't majorly spoil anyone who isn't up to the current stage of the HunterXHunter manga. (The main characters are currently onboard the Black Whale ship leading to the Dark Continent) _Well,_ in my opinion, I personally feel that the Black Whale is going to sink and the whole trip to the Dark Continent is going to lead to utter mayhem before they even arrive at their destination. That's just my prediction though XD Ugh, the hiatus is killing me, I want to read more T.T What do you guys think is going to happen in the Dark Continent Arc? **

**I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and I hope you stick around for the next!**


	13. Chapter 13: Pins x and x Needles

**Chapter 13: Pins x and x Needles**

If one can pass through the testing gate, then God Bless you! You must a strong and fearsome challenger. On the other hand, courageous as you may be, walking into the den of the ferocious assassinations that go far back into deep history, preceding more than five generations of skilled killers. Are you really that courageous? Impervious to fear? Or oblivious to life threatening danger?

You must have a death wish.

That is what everyone, those who took part in the infamous and relatively inexpensive bus tour to Kukuroo Mountain, thought when the man with the clown garb passed through the gate. Jaws dropped, cameras clattered to the ground, the tour guide anxiously waved her flag back and forth, signaling all guests to hurry (in an appropriate manner) back into the bus, so they can drive right out of there with their limps securely intact with their bodies. Oh, how the tour guide vividly remembered last time when a pair of men walked unto the property of the Zoldyck estate. She did not wish to relive the horror! Those men did come back outside, indeed they did, but their flesh was wiped clean off their bones, bare skeletons were all they were.

Not a muscle or nerve or drop of blood was left on the remains of the two men. Their white chalky skulls matted underneath the cloudy sky. They were disposed into a trash container by a giant furry paw with claws that put an eagles talons to shame. Ugh! What a horrid memory. A new rule sanctioned on the tour, that everyone must at all times stay at least 5 feet away from the gates. Touching or leaning or taking selfies against the gates were forbidden. Let this be a lesson to learn, those who enter the Zoldyck gates never return…alive that is. You can come back as a skeleton or a bucket full of dismembered remains, but who wants that?

Well, the clown with the garish colored face paint walked unto the estate as if he was walking through a calm sensory garden. Others may have found the dead flowers, murky clouds, and wild guard dog with blank eyes to be unappealing. But just the opposite! The man thought it was quite charming. A smile tugged on his lips, turning into a hideous smirk that would scare away any sane creature. The man turned towards the beast and said, "Illumi never told me he had a dog. How adorable. Do you want to play fetch with me? I don't have a stick, so I hope a playing card will suffice." Hisoka reached into his pocket, pulling out a Joker card. Mike, the guard dog, was not frightened by that gesture. Tall and silent and motionless as a statue, he studied the man that stood in front of him. For it was a rule to not attack (or eat) any visitors that prove themselves worthy of entering the estate. Guarding the gates was a boring job on most days, for there were too many people afraid to enter them, therefore there were no extra snacks on those days. Mike breathed, a barely audible breath, then moved on. To chase a bird or something. Today, would just be another boring doggy day.

"No? Maybe some other time then." Hisoka put away the card and walked along the barely beaten road. He hummed a tune that no one but the half eaten plants covered with mildew and mold could hear. For he, you see, is visiting a friend. A dear old friend. Probably his only friend, but numbers aren't important. No no no.

These two individuals are all they need. Two completely compatible, insane, multiple screws lose in their heads, and deviants of the world.

"Illumi," Hisoka peered, a butler escorted him towards a dark chamber. There were no windows with sunlight filling the room, only artificial lamps that made the room feel that much gloomier. Illumi turned his head away from his current test subject, which happened to be his younger brother, Milluki.

"Hey," Illumi said. He poked another needle into his brother's left arm, and Milluki yelped.

"Watch it Illumi! I'd said I would help you with your research, but I didn't have this in mind. That limited edition kira kira sparkle sunshine princess figure model isn't worth it anymore," whined Milluki as he yanked a needle out of several from his arm. Illumi huffed.

"Yes, yes, well I gathered more information than I thought I would. Although, it was a little tricky positioning the needles on the nerves. Probably because of your excessive layers of-

Milluki glared at Illumi, venomously.

"Muscle. I was going to say muscle," said Illumi, lifting up his hands, innocently. Hisoka was chuckling from the background, containing his amusement was never a strength of his. Milluki grumbled under his breath and grabbed the figure model his big brother promised to give him, then left.

"Ah, I wish I had siblings," said Hisoka.

"It's not all it's cracked up to be. Especially with all the responsibilities falling unto the oldest." Illumi rolled his eyes. He proceeded to tediously clean off the needles with a handkerchief and reorganize them back into their respective places. Hisoka leaned his back against the wall.

"But they seem like so much fun."

"I know you, you definitely would kill them."

Hisoka pondered, then said. "Your right. That's what I meant when I said 'fun.'" He strolled over to a set of needles, that didn't look like Illumi's ordinary kind. Instead of being yellow with bulbs on one end with the sharp silver point on the other. The needles were incredibly thin, as thin as a strand of hair. They were silver colored and Hisoka was able to bend one with his fingers. They were extremely flexible. "What are these for?"

"Right now, they are just proto-types. I'm still working out the final designs of them. They are not quite ready to use yet."

"Care to show me a demonstration?" Hisoka purred.

"Alright," Illumi shrugged. He delicately lifted a needle out of the case with the utmost care and precision. This is probably the gentlest move he has ever performed in his life. His trade did not require him to be gentle or tender. Aside from assassination skills, this was the most difficult technique he ever had to learn. He carefully pierced the needle into this lower back. With one push, his legs collapsed and he fell onto the ground. Face first. "Ta-da."

Despite Illumi's face staring directly at the concrete beneath him, he could sense his friend, chuckling in front of him. He turned his head, and narrowed his eyes. "What were you expecting? A marching band parade?"

Hisoka swallowed his final laugh, "I was expecting something grand, but this works too. I never imagined how you would look so helpless, so vulnerable." He purred, "It looks good on you."

Illumi scoffed, "Save it for Gon or whoever else you're currently obsessing about." Illumi moved one arm to cushion his head, while the other to remove the needle. "I'm able to block the pathways of electrical currents throughout the body, but I can't leave in the needles for too long. Or else the paths will be permanently disconnected, damaging the area beyond repair." He pulled the needle out from his back, and he regained the control of his legs again. He stood up, stretching out his muscles that felt like they were pierced with a thousand knives. "Plus that tingling sensation after removing them. They are a far cry away from being complete." He sulked.

Hisoka scanned the needle with a new interest. He was marveled and taken over with awe that a little needle, thin as a strand of hair, can cause so much damage. "Are these gifts for your nephew, oh I'm sorry, you don't like me calling him that. The _vulgar worm_ I mean." Truth to be told, Hisoka actually liked Illumi's nephew, Elodea was his name, Killua's adopted son. The young boy has such a unique gift, Hisoka remembered the day at the conference where the little boy stood up to him. Thinking he actually had a chance at winning. Hah! Hisoka sucked in a breath, he couldn't wait to one day fight against the boy, when he was older and honed his talent. It brought a different tingling sensation to Hisoka, different from Illumi's piercing knives.

Illumi ignored Hisoka's current state of weird and odd ecstasy, and continued to put away his precious tools. "For a Zoldyck to care about another human being from outside the family as if actually they were one." A needle snapped in Illumi's fingers, "That child, that _thing_ , is nothing but a worm that infested and corrupted the mind of my brother." He sneered, "I worked so hard to train him, to mold him into the heir he was destined to be, all my work gone to waste. Never once did he thank me for molding him into a perfect assassin." His dark area seeped through his body like sludge and poured onto the ground. Hisoka held his nose, as if he could smell the stench of it. "Unthankful brat."

"Um. Illumi." Hisoka pointed around the room. Illumi followed the movement and his eyes landed on a room soaked with aura. Deep, thick, suffocating aura. Illumi slowly took in a deep breath then exhaled. The aura disappeared into the air, as is it was never there to begin with.

"Sorry, please excuse my ill behavior. I haven't been acting like myself lately."

"I can only imagine the torment that is going through your wicked and confused soul. All this family drama can entertain one for an entire lifetime," Hisoka chuckled.

"Thank you, friend. You are reassuring as ever." Illumi rolled his eyes.

"Now, will you please tell me your plan? I am eager to know. Ple—ease."

"Okay," Illumi deadpanned. The clown was curious as a monkey. As tricky as the clown is, Illumi knows that he is a two timer. Hisoka will do only what benefits himself. Betraying others is the man's specialty, there is no exception for friends either. His leaking information will only ruin Illumi's plans.

The oldest Zoldyck thought carefully about this. He needs some rumors circulating around, word to fill the growing hunger of gossip. He needs paranoia to fill his younger brother's head.

Hisoka, the backstabbing clown, is the perfect pawn in the Zoldyck's game.

* * *

The sun was shining ever so brightly on the playground in Saffron City. Glistening on the rainbow swing sets, slides, and monkey bars. But the playsets were becoming more and more deserted. Fewer people were playing on the sets and were slowly flocking over to the soccer field, by word of mouth, gesturing with immense excitement, or boisterous begging to watch the show.

That's what people were thinking. It was a show. It had to be. Was this part of a reality show, a segment of people with supernatural powers? Or a _what would you do_ in public scene?

A crowd was circling around the father and son who were playing catch in the field. Catch? Well, yes, catch is an absolutely normal and nothing awestriking game. Parents and children alike were staring, gawking, pointing fingers, and some were even had the audacity to take videos on their phones at the two figures, a father and son playing catch at least 2 kilometers apart from each other. The space between the two was about the size of a small football field or a really big parking lot.

Back and forth the baseball flew in the air, and on each turn the two players caught the ball with ease and even more so, flew it back with the same force. People thought that the father was an ex-professional baseball player from the major leagues that retired early already having fame and fortune in his bank account. Many others were astonished that a little boy, no more than six years old, could throw so hard and catch so easily. Already having the prospects of a star athlete. Was the young boy trying to be scouted?

When Killua and Elodea started to hear cheers going on from the sidelines, they decided to end their game of catch. Elodea tucked his baseball-mitt under his arm.

"That was fun," said Elodea, "next time, can we go even further apart? That was the shortest distance we ever played from each other." Nothing was ordinary having a hunter as a parent. Even the slightest most trivial aspects of life are changed from normal to extraordinary. From traveling around, relaying top secret information to playing catch. All in good fun though. Killua thought, with Elodea's strength, he could open the first gate of the Zoldyck testing gates. Not that Elodea ever would though.

"Sure, but we have to be careful around large crowds. We don't want to cause a scene. The soccer field is for everyone. Right?" Killua said.

"Right." Elodea happily agreed. Elodea then looked towards the playground and saw children playing in the sand box. "Daddy, can I play with them?"

"Go knock your socks off." Killua patted Elodea on his head, then the boy merrily ran towards the other children. They accepted him with open arms to join their quest to build a giant skyscraper that touches the sky. Killua sat down on a bench, watching his son play with kids his own age. A privilege, Killua himself, never got to experience when he was younger. His childhood was chained to his family. A normal child would go to school and play an after school sport, while he was already making a living, carrying on the family business. He was making a _killing_ at it too. He couldn't comprehend how people could take for granted hanging out with their friends, blowing off plans to lounge at home, or ignoring text messages from a best friend after an insignificant fight only to make up the very next day or never at all.

Privileges very some person to person. In his early life, he was not privileged to have friends, but now he was privileged to make a new life for himself. Filled with friends and family that he loved and loved him in return.

Killua waved to Elodea and Elodea waved right back.

The little girl, with curly blonde hair that coiled around her plump cheeks, was sculpting the roof on the small apartment condo next to their sand skyscraper, raised an eyebrow at the young boy. Elodea caught her questioning look. "Is that your dad?" The girl asked. She eyed the man with the snow white hair sitting on the bench.

"Yep!" he replied. Elodea was more than happy to brag about his dad in any conversation. He'd talk about how awesome his dad is, or say his dad has the coolest job in the whole world. Killua told him not to talk about his 'occupation' to other people, but the truth always slipped out of Elodea's mouth. He was too proud of his dad to hide it.

"That's weird." She continued to shape the sand. Elodea's excitement slowly dissipated. He stopped scooping up sand with his red shovel and looked at the girl in the face.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because," she patted down the top of her sand sculpture, which was looking more like a lopsided turtle than a tall building. "You two don't look alike."

Elodea dropped his red shovel, and it fell hard on the sandy ground. The whole world crumpled beneath his feet and he was the only one who felt it.

He walked away from the sand box, with his sculpture unfinished.

* * *

The apartment they were currently renting was fairly large. Windows that touched the ceiling all the way to the ground, giving a perfect view of the ocean, and a seventy inch flat screen television that was embedded into the wall.

Elodea looked around the cabinet to find what he wanted. His gaze passed by the flashlights, box of batteries, and to an old CD of post pop country music. Finally he grabbed what he was looking for and scurried to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He stood up on the stool and looked at himself in the mirror.

He was always comfortable with the jet black hair, but now he was looking at it with a different set of eyes. He started to hate it. Why couldn't he have hair as white as fresh fallen snow like his dad's? Or have it spike up and have shape and volume. His hair was flat as a pancake. He tugged on one strand and let it fall to the side of his face. He always assumed, he got his black hair from Alluka, receiving his genes from his aunt. But Alluka's hair was not completely black, it also shined a beautiful purple. Elodea's hair was the color of pure black, sometimes under the rays of the sun, it would shine a mahogany red. Strands of hair catching the colors of the sun.

He set the jar of white glue on top of the bathroom sink.

Why did he not have sky blue eyes like his dad's? His eyes were purple. He's had people tell him his eyes are as beautiful as amethyst stones in a quarry. He liked his eyes once, but now he wished for them to be blue. He didn't have the same skin tone as his dad either, a chalky white. He had more of a sun kissed tan.

He looked at his hair again, black and flat, with utter disappointment. Then opened the jar of glue, pouring the sticky mixture into his hands. He took a deep breath and sculpted his hair with a lump of white glue. He continued adding more glue after the next into his hair, creating spikes that stood out that looked as white as his dad's. That's it! His hair was losing its original color and was looking like Killua's. It was very streaky though, maybe he should have used flower instead. He was just finishing up his bangs when Killua knocked on the door.

"Elodea, what's taking you so long? We're going to be late to the exam. I can't have the committee bickering at me….again." Killua volunteered to proctor the final phase of this year's hunter exam. Instead of spending who knows how many days at the exam site, he handpicked the destination for the final phase and he would meet the examinees there. But he had to arrive there first and early, an adversity of its own.

"Hold on, just a second." Elodea finished his hair, all stuck together looking messy and clumped into a giant white mush. His fingers were starting to stick together too. Finally, Killua opened the door and his eyes shot wide open on his son, and then to the open jar of glue, with 90% of its contents on the boy's head.

Suddenly, Elodea's plan didn't seem so well thought out as he originally thought it would.

The faucet for the bathtub roared on high with steam drifting through the air, water was almost overflowing, pouring over the edges of the tub. Soap bubbles floated on top of the water, while Killua was scrubbing Elodea's head trying to get all that glue off. "What were you thinking? Do you know how stupid that was?!" Killua said, aggravated. They were definitely going to be late to the exam, and the chairlady was definitely going to endlessly lecture him about it.

"I'm sorry," sniffled Elodea, "I just wanted to look like you." Tears were pouring down his eyes, dripping into the bath water. Killua stopped scrubbing Elodea's head and thought.

"That's why you did this? You wanted to look like me?"

Elodea sheepishly nodded, ashamed he even tried. "I don't look like you. Why don't I look like you?"

"You are your own person, not everyone looks like their parents." He covered up his answer with a shrug. He vowed to never tell Elodea he was adopted, like the many other secrets Killua's been hording over the years. The ones he will take with him to his grave. He can live his life without telling a soul, including his son.

Elodea ducked his head, "But I want to." To Elodea, it wasn't just about the looks. He wanted a sense of belonging. When other people couldn't see that, he started to not see it too. They saw that he was different from his father and he was starting to believe it too. This is the first chink in Elodea's armor that will eventually eat him away and break him. Unaware of his growing insecurity. When Killua was younger, he desperately longed and desired to belong. Then he thought of an answer.

"I can't believe you don't see it." Killua shook his head, disapprovingly.

"See what?" Elodea lifted up his head, no longer facing the bubbles. His eyes were brimmed red, still wet from fresh tears.

Killua smiled and pointed a finger to the middle of his chest then to Elodea's. "Our hearts. They're exactly the same."

"Really?"

"My heart looks like your heart." Killua nodded.

The tears stopped flowing from Elodea's eyes and a smile began to form on his face, "How come I can't see it?"

"It's something we can't see with our eyes. I know, you're brave as me, curious as me, smart as me, silly as me. The list goes on." Killua gestured grandly with his arms.

Elodea smiled, happy that he has something in common with his dad that they share with each other.

Smiles and laughter were reflected in the soap bubbles drifting in the gluey bath water.

* * *

So Killua and Elodea, due to the glue fiasco, were several, eh, more like thirty minutes late for the hunter exam. The applicants were growing wary and incredibly irritable. The final phase was the most anticipated and nerve-racking part of the exam. IT would be an utter waste to lose the final phase after making it so far in the exam and having to wait another year to take it. Everyone was on pins and needles.

The location for the exam was at the large mansion, the size of a small mall. The perfect place Killua will proctor the exam.

Elodea walked behind Killua, with uncertainty. His dad told him why he was brought to the notorious hunter exam. He had a special job to fulfill, but he was as shy as ever, and hid behind the shadow of his dad.

Killua looked behind him and gestured kindly for Elodea to stand side by side with him. He was just as important to the exam as everyone else. Elodea smiled and his shyness slowly melted away as he stood beside his dad. He straightened his back and held his head up high to look as confident as his father. He thought over and over again, that he is his father's son, because they have the same hearts. That kept him going when they stopped and stood in front of the twenty applicants that made it to the final phase of the exam.

Many applicants scoffed and no doubt were complaining about their proctor tardiness and inconsiderate care for their futures. And they were half right, Killua didn't care about the applicants or their futures as wannabe hunters. Gon gave him the idea at the conference ago, and this was the perfect opportunity to test his hypothesis.

Killua looked at Elodea and smiled. Then he turned to face the applicants and spoke with a powerful voice. It reached to the far ends of the sky, everyone stopped and listened.

"My name is Coal Menfitz and I will be the proctor for the final phase of the 301st Hunter Exam."

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think about this chapter in the reviews!**

 **(This chapter may be subject to editing, so there might be changes, just saying)**

 **OH! and Killua's changed name is "Coal Menfitz."**

 **Happy Labor Day!**


	14. Chapter 14: Secrets x and x Regrets

**Chapter 14: Secrets x and x Regrets**

"My name is Coal Menfitz and I will be the proctor for the final phase of the 301st Hunter Exam." Killua's words spread through the room, catching the ears of all the applicants. The twenty some that were left. One applicant, wearing a ninja looking attire with a hairless head, had a rancid look on his face and stepped forward from the crowd. His number tag read 185. Number 185 walked up to Killua, practically 2 inches away from his nose. Killua remained undisturbed.

"We've been waiting here," he spread his arms out and gestured towards the mansion, "for who knows how long and you show up 10,000 years late and act like it was absolutely nothing. This is serious. We're here to become hunters!" He looked towards the applicants, and some were nodding, agreeing with the belligerent man, while others looked the other way entirely. Number 77, the girl with the blue hair, looked away.

"Applicant number 185," Killua breathed, "Yoshima Kiyuzaki from the Village Hidden in the Clouds. You passed the first four phases of the exam swimmingly, but conflicted with all of the proctors, for lack of cooperation, respect, and obedience to directions when given." Before Killua arrived at the site of the exam, he studied up on the remaining applicants. They were the Hunter Association's future generation of (wannabe) hunters. "They may have given you slack, but you won't find that with me."

Yoshima didn't back down. His feet were still planted on the ground. Elodea looked up at the man, and Yoshima caught his stare, and his ferocity only deepened. "He even brought a brat with him!?" He turned to face the other applicants and see if they would agree with him, they all turned away. "He obviously doesn't give a rat's tail about-"

Swiftly and before Yoshima could blink, Killua had him locked in an arm bar with no escape. The way Killua held his arm, if Yoshima were to move and try to pry free. His humerus bone would dislocate from his arm socket, fracturing his scapula bone in the process. He couldn't have a broken arm during the exam, now could he? Yoshima's zest left him and was replaced with absolute silence.

"So this is how it's going to work. I'm going to tell you about the test. You will listen to the directions that I will give you. You will then take the test. Depending upon your performance levels, or how much of a moron you may be, hopefully pass the test. Then finally, happily go home with shiny hunter licenses that you will boast about to your friends until they are fed up with you and tepee your house as pay back. Any questions?" Killua said, still holding Yoshima in an arm bar. His face looked squeamish. No one said anything, a few nodded. Killua looked among the applicants then towards the girl with the fierce cerulean hair and ruby eyes. He unlocked the arm bar and Yoshima fell to the ground with a giant thud. He got back up, with a few laughs filling the room as he walked back in line with the other applicants.

Elodea shifted in his stance. His dad was not to be trifled with. He was so cool.

"For the purpose of the exam, I purchased this lovely mansion that you see before you. It will be here, where the final phase of the exam will take place." He looked at the applicants, there were twenty of them left, rare for an exam, especially since half of them were rookies. Then he looked towards his son and placed a hand on his head. "This is my son, Elodea. Before we begin the exam, all of you should be acquainted with each other." He lightly pushed forward Elodea urging him, to one by one, greet and shake hands with the applicants.

For each applicant, Elodea heard their auras. When he stood in front of Yoshima, Elodea tried his best not to laugh. Yoshima's aura sounded like a bicycle horn for a clown in a circus. When he greeted the girl with the blue hair, number 77, he stood in front of her, confused. What he was hearing from her was rather strange. Everyone human being he's come across has one unique aura, one melody that is the essence of their life force. But with her, she had three! Three melodies were playing simultaneously. They clashed with each other horribly, it was as if there were three different people standing in front of him, instead of one. Confused as he was, he carried on.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Elodea."

The girl whimsically smiled at him and signed with her hands. Elodea didn't know what she said, for he doesn't know sign language. Killua came up behind him and said. "She said it's a pleasure to meet you and that her name is Madrid Sierren." Killua, a man of many talents, mastered the art of sign language when he was 16 years old. It was a necessary skill to have when he was working as a bodyguard for a man who couldn't speak. A skill that he has carried with himself, ever since.

Elodea, embarrassingly, shook her hand again, "Ah! I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you too Madrid."

Killua signed, _many people believe you are still alive_.

Madrid looked surprised, _I know. It's comforting to know that my people still have faith in me. It saddens me dearly that I cannot let them know. But I can't return home. Not yet anyway._

 _I know what that's like_. He laughed.

 _Have you've been to the Kukan'yu Islands before?_

Killua looked down towards Elodea and nodded, _I have, and it's very beautiful there. The locals are very nice._

Madrid gave a questioning look.

 _Well, okay, maybe not everyone, but the majority. Very nice. I've been to North Region of the Islands, mainly to Kalamati._

 _You didn't try to eat those poisonous raspberries on the main road did you? First time travelers always make that mistake._

 _No one is going to let me live that down_. Killua paused, then continued to sign, _you did so much for the Islands. You were able to convince the V6 to offer militaristic help driving the rebels off the islands._ Madrid was able to convince other allied nations of the V6 to help her cause. She used social media, such as tweeter and face-nook, to spread the news of her home land, and unveiled the truths that were shrouded with dark veils from the world. Once she convinced the V6 that the Kukan'yu Islands had potential as an ally and resources they couldn't pass up; they jumped at the offer and fleets of soldiers came crashing onto the shores. Exterminating the rebel forces one island at a time. The project is still in progress.

 _My work isn't over yet. There is still more to be done,_ Madrid tilted her head down.

 _Over achiever_. Killua laughed. I wish you the best of luck in the exam.

 _Thank you. Do you have any advice on how to pass the final phase?_

 _Well, you should always try your best and if that doesn't work, batt you're lashes and bribe the proctor._

 _Is that what you would do?_

 _If that person is prone to compliments, then yes_.

Other applicants were looking back at each other, then to the proctor, then back at each other in utter confusion. They were absolutely lost in their conversation, for the better. The gutsy ninja whispered with irritation to the applicant next to him, "What on earth are they talking about?" The applicant simply shrugged, not wanting to get involved in another one of the ninja's rants. Killua looked towards the applicants and grinned wildly.

"Oh, if this exam was entirely based on sign language, you all would fail miserably." He walked past Madrid, and as he did, the corner of his eye caught the light from the sun shining off her cerulean hair, reminding him of the waters of Kukan'yu. The waves that have the power to change from being turbulent to calm. A beauty worthy of being in awe of and afraid of. "Except her."

Yoshima huffed, "can we begin the exam already?" He turned to the same applicant and ranted, "Who even needs to know sign language anyway?" The applicant looked at Yoshima and then towards the proctor he was dreadfully in fear of. He doesn't want to be mushed together with Yoshima's bad boy antics. He wants to pass the exam this year, on good terms! This was his third year taking the exam, finally being able to make it to the final phase, he wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste.

Killua looked at Yoshima, sternly, "before I answer to you." He looked towards number 472, "Are you all right? You can sit down if you want to." Number 472, Korey Kuttle, nodded his head sheepishly and immediately collapsed backwards onto the grass, with a loud thud sending dandelions and grass blades fluttering in the air.

Elodea looked up towards Killua, "Daddy, is that man okay?"

"Dunno," Killua puckered his lips.

Elodea shrugged.

Killua eyed Yoshima and spoke, "Being a hunter demands focus, concentration, diligence, patience," then muttered in a low voice, "andmanyotherskillsyoudonotpossess," he coughed "you may not know it, but being a hunter requires many skills, things that are an absolute necessity and others that you've never fathomed before. All the more tools in your arsenal of weapons that you can wield and call yourself a master of, make you more desirable than the person standing next to you." Killua walked closer to Yoshima, step by step, his confidence challenging the ignorant man. Yoshima stepped back.

Killua walked back towards Elodea and pulled out a whistle on a string. He handed it to the boy, who happily accepted it. "This phase of the exam, will only require one skill. A skill that every hunter should know that is necessary for survival. Some of you already know it and for others it will be your first time implementing it today, but I assure you, no one has an advantage over the other. You're all on equal ground."

Suddenly, all the applicants jumped to their feet in surprise, a giant digital timer lit up on the walls of the mansion. The time was set for three hours. The exam was finally beginning.

Killua set his hand on Elodea's head, "whether or not you pass the exam does not depend on me, it depends on him. You will have a time limit of three hours to conceal yourselves in the mansion. If Elodea finds you, then you are disqualified. If you remain to be unnoticed for the full three hours, then you pass."

Yoshima held up his hands in confusion, "Wait, what is this necessary skill we have to implement? And why is this munchkin our proctor?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Killua looked towards Elodea, then back at the Yoshima, "a good hunter knows how to be a predator, but a great hunter knows how to be the predator and prey. Hide from my boy and you all pass with flying colors."

"This is going to be easy," Yoshima laughed.

"I warn you, he's that good. I'd say by thirty minutes into the exam, the number of applicants will be cut in half, maybe even less." Killua hypothesized.

Yoshima gulped.

"You all are going to be given a five minute head start. You can hide anywhere inside and outside the mansion. Leaving the property will result in automatic disqualification, and lay one hand on the little proctor," Killua narrowed his eyes, "and you're as good as dead."

As soon as the gates opened, the applicants rushed in. Each in pursuit of attaining their best hiding spot, in the epic final phase of the prestigious hunter exam held only once a year. They were betting all their luck on this way too hyped up version of hide and go seek.

So what if their egos grow and visibly give away their hiding spots? So what if they angrily stump their feet on the ground and complain to the chairman herself about this incredibly subjective exam? Killua fairly warned them. Didn't he?

Seeking, was Elodea's forte. As long as their auras speak and pound and resonate throughout the walls of the mansion. He will find every last one of them. Under an hour.

Three hours was just being indulgent.

It was child's play.

* * *

Elodea ran throughout the halls of the mansion, with the silver metallic whistle dangling around his neck. Bouncing against his chest with every leap he took. He wasn't running down the halls by himself. Several feat away from him, he was accompanied by two supervisors. They were there to escort the disqualified applicants away from the exam site and to make sure things went swimmingly. No fuss was necessary.

A smile spread across Elodea's face, "This is AWESOME!" This was the most epic game of hide and seek he's ever played. Not only was he having a great time, but he was also helping out his dad with his work. It was killing two birds with one stone, metaphorically. When he was greeting all twenty applicants, he got a good listen to their auras, what each sounded like. Now being in the mansion with all of them clustered together, reverberating off the walls, he could tell where each of them were. First he found a man hiding inside a giant vase. Elodea blew his whistle and the supervisors politely escorted the crestfallen applicant out of the mansion. Then he found a woman hiding on top of the roof, hiding in the shadows of the brick chimney. One after another, Elodea gleefully discovered each of their hiding spots. The high pitch whistle echoed fear into the hearts of the applicants that were yet to be found.

When there were only a handful left, and an hour has not passed, Yoshima and a group of others were hiding in the air vents, devising a plan.

"What is with that kid, he's a blood hound!" one said.

"He found mori, dori, and lori in less than 10 minutes and they are professional survivalists," another said. "We shouldn't underestimate him. I mean, lets get real, he's a hunter's kid."

"Pssh!" Yoshima gestured, "His dad probably gave him the blueprints of the house, so he can memorize it before hand and now he knows all the major hiding spots. You need to get real." He retorted.

They heard another whistle, and they froze in the vents. Silent. Another applicant was found, not too far away where they were from.

"Look, Yoshima." the man snapped back, "Whatever methods that kid is using, he's doing a pretty dang good job at it. AND personally I don't want to be in the same proximity of your big, LOUD mouth. Its going to give us all away."

"You want to start something," Yoshima leaned forward in the air vent, spiderwebs caressing the tip of his nose.

"Bring it on," the man leaned forward with steam hissing out of his ears. These two applicants were ready to rumble, ready to do anything, other than pass the exam. oi vey.

As a scuffle was going on in the air vents, there were others in the mansion, acting more diligently.

* * *

Killua leaned back against his black velvet chair and stared at the screens in front of him. Camera's were inconspicuously placed all around the mansion, watching every move of those within it. Killua saw Elodea, yet again finding another applicant. A dual look was captivated on his face, one of disappointment and the other of satisfaction.

"Do any of these nimrods know about nen or how to use it?" He asked, mainly to himself, but Satotz was also in the room. Watching how the final phase of the exam would play out. He was excited to see how the rookies would turn out this year. To prove Killua's hypothesis, he needed someone who was more capable than the others, not in strength or speed. Someone who can hide and camouflage themselves against a predator. Killua, himself, tried to camouflage his aura around Elodea as a test. It made no difference to Eldoea, he could always hear Killua's aura. Killua thought it was because of what Gon said "Since Elodea was a young child when he was first introduced to your aura, it became second nature to him." Just as the rustling of the wind and crashing of the waves and the beeping of car horns are common sounds to people in every day occurrences, so is Killua's aura is to Elodea.

If Elodea was introduced to new people, whom he's never met before, does he clearly hear their auras like a sharp ring of a bell? Or is it something he must be exposed to for a prolonged period of time to truly take notice of?

"Knowing nen isn't a prerequisite for taking the exam. Anyone can take the exam, as long as they are diligent and critical thinkers," Satotz said, proudly.

"There is more to the exam than just that."

"Is that so?"

"Someone who doesn't know about the existence of aura and can't wield it is vulnerable in a world that cold-heartedly demands it."

"So you're unnecessarily weeding out those who have the potential to use nen, but are blindsided to it at this current state of affairs."

"A hunter's job is a dangerous job. It's not for the faint of heart."

"With that I do agree. Although, I saw some promising applicants get disqualified. Are you okay with that?"

"Sometimes the only way to win a battle is to just survive and fight another day. A skilled hunter, no, a future member of the association would have the common sense to know that not every battle should be fought on the same day. Retreating is not always the bad option." Killua leaned forward in his chair, staring at the screen; a grin poking at his cheeks. "Now take her for example, she knows exactly what she's doing."

* * *

Something was leading Elodea astray.

It sent him endlessly making circles around dinner tables, jumping over couches and chairs, and sprinting down hallways inconsistently. By the time the little lad got a severe headache from spinning around in circles. He flopped unto the ground, a nauseous mess.

No this couldn't be happening! He swore he could hear the distinct sound of aura in front of him. Are his ears deceiving him? Or is it his eyes? The sound of aura he is hearing is that of sticks tapping on wood, a very sharp and distinct sound. Alas! There was no person to match the aura with! There was not a single person in front of him, yet the aura sent him on a wild goose chase. It was here, it was close, and he was standing right in front of the sound. But no one was there.

Elodea huffed a fed up breath and stared at the ceiling, agitated. The sound of the aura took on a different tempo, one that was quicker and jubilantly erratic. He puffed his cheeks in annoyance to the sound, because he knew what it meant. He may not be able to see the person, but he knew certain of one thing in the pit of his stomach.

This person was laughing. Specifically at him.

* * *

"Woah, can you believe this Madrid!? He can't see me or hear what I'm saying, but I think he can sense me." Puntos laughed while floating over the exasperated boy with the amethyst eyes. Puntos, with his scaly skin, fish like tail and monkey skull for a head was spiraling in the air. He waved his tail at the boy's nose. Elodea was oblivious to the act, and remain undisturbed by the gesture, but he did twitch his nose a bit. Puntos laughed hysterically.

"He may not be able to see you, but from easily finding all the other talented applicants, it's obvious he is highly attuned to aura. He can't hear what you say?" Madrid questioned. She was currently hiding in the elevator shaft of the mansion, masking her own aura using zetsu. Blocking her own aura from leaving her body to remain undetected. She had Thalassa hovering above her left shoulder, communicating telepathically with Puntos from afar. A useful feature of her nen beasts is that they can be used as walkie talkies.

Thalassa and Puntos are manifestations of Madrid's nen from a vow she made to herself a long time ago. A time when her peaceful days of Kukan'yu were usurped underneath her, forcing her to plunge into a world of darkness she wasn't prepared for. Her memories of Kukan'yu, memories of her father reading to her by the warmth of the hearth on a cold winter night, memories of her mother lovingly brushing her hair, memories of her brothers that were far too young and innocent to live short lives. All those memories seemed as if they were a sweet dream, and she was caught in an endless nightmare. The tranquil days she can never go back to and the loved ones that will never return.

But Madrid had a goal, one that she was dead set on accomplishing. She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly.

"Are you feeling alright Madrid?" Asked Thalassa, sweetly. Thalassa tapped her webbed hand unto Madrid's shoulder. Despite the grotesque appearance of the nen beasts, no more than a foot in length and resembled the design of Fiji mermaids. They had only one purpose for their existence in life and it was to serve Madrid.

Madrid released a breath, "I'm fine, thank you."

She remembered when she was first acquainted with Elodea in the beginning of the exam, he stared up at her curiously. Noticing something different about her. Specifically, taking notice of her two nen beasts upon her shoulders, invisible to the human eye. Elodea may not have been able to clearly see the two beasts, named Puntos and Thalassa, floating above Madrid's shoulders. Elodea could clearly hear their aura. Nen beasts, just like humans, have a unique sound to their aura, unmistakable if heard.

"Yeah, I cracked a couple of jokes and he hasn't laughed not even once."

Thalassa interrupted, "I don't blame him because all your jokes suck eggs."

"Nobody asked you Thalassa. Madrid, did I ask for Thalassa's opinion? No! I don't think I did." Even though, Thalassa and Puntos originate from Madrid's own aura. They have developed their own _unique_ personalities over the years. They have their opinions, views on the world, likes, and dislikes (especially of each other, they bicker with each other constantly. Madrid is always the one to end their silly disputes) like normal human beings.

"Would it kill you to act more dignified? Oh, I'm sorry, that must be an impossible request for someone of your caliber." Retorted Thalassa.

"Kiss my tail fin!"

"Shh, both of you. Puntos," thought Madrid, "I'm going to need you to travel around the halls a few more times. The time limit is almost up and he hasn't found us yet. Keep him occupied, because it looks like he is starting to become disinterested."

"Roger that Madrid." Puntos floated right in front of Eldoea's face and wagged his tail. "I'm right here, c'mon, don't you see me." Then he floated down the hall and floated above a pot of flowers. "Catch me if you can."

* * *

Elodea now heard the sound of the tapping aura coming from the potted plant, consisting of dahlias and baby's breath flowers, on the marble coffee table. This was becoming odd. Very odd.

Elodea borrowed his brows and turned his head. He was done with this hopeless endeavor. He decided he would go on and find another aura. He was wasting too much time, the exam would end shortly.

Puntos was baffled. The boy was no longer paying attention to him. Ugh! How dare he! In retaliation, Puntos flew and swiveled in front of Elodea's face to gain his attention once more. The boy waved the air in front of him, unknowingly smacking Puntos across the jaw. Sending the poor sucker flying across the room, smacking the wall, and then finally, landing tail first into the garbage can.

Elodea heard another aura coming from the outside. It sounded like a horn. A clown horn to be precise!

He stepped on the grass, bypassing the wishing flowers with their white parachutes of petals traveling through the air. Sending off wishes to the vast unknown. Elodea looked up the trees, then lowered his head, then finally staring straight at the bark of the tree in front of him.

"I found you Yoshima!" Elodea exclaimed.

Yoshima lowered the camouflaged bark drape from his head, with a nervous sweat drop rolling down his bald head. Elodea was just about to blow the whistle, until Yoshima hobbled forward with a mischievous plan.

"Wait! You don't want to do that." Yoshima said, with his arms spread out.

Elodea lowered his silver whistle and looked at Yoshima, confused. "Why not?"

"Uh Well, that is because," Yoshima had to come up with a lie, and he came up with one quick. "That is because this is my fifth attempt taking the exam and my mother would be so disappointed. It would just break her heart." Actually, this was his first time taking the hunter exam. What a sly rookie.

"Really?" Questioned Elodea. He dropped the whistle, now dangling around his neck.

"Yes," Yoshima nodded, confidently. "She has all her hopes set on me to become the hunter in the family, since all my other siblings backed out of it. I'm the only one who can restore the honor in the family." If Yoshima was Pinocchio, his nose would be the length of a golf club. Yoshima didn't have any siblings. He was an only child. And the stuff about restoring honor in the family, heck-no, his mother could care less. She was more concerned about winning the weekly jackpot to win a month's supply of free groceries down at the discounted supermarket. Fruits and vegetables are expensive now a days.

"Would it really break her heart?" Elodea asked, concerned.

"OF course it would." Yoshima retorted. "Plus, there is that incurable disease, I don't know how much time she has left before she…..you know….." On the contrary, Yoshima's mother is a healthy as a horse. Just last month, she ran a 10 K marathon and carried two men on her back who had broken their legs while running. What a woman.

He brought up his elbow to wipe away his fake, crocodile tears. He momentarily looked up to see Elodea's reaction, and to see if the child believed the lie.

"Before she what? Retires?"

"No you idiot-I mean my sweet, sweet child," Yoshima corrected himself, "You know," He pointed up towards the sky and slid a finger across his neck, exaggerating a discomforted face.

"She's going to go skydiving?"

"No!" Yoshima smacked his face with his palm. "She's going to die!"

"Oh no!"

"So you see, if she sees me with my hunter license, that single wish fulfillment will give strength to my weak and very feeble mother to get better. She'll become cured and rise from her bedridden state and give a hug to her son, whom loves her so, so much. Please, find it in your heart Elodea. It's for my mother."

"For your mother?"

"For momzie." Yoshima nodded.

Elodea looked towards the ground and thought of this. If he was in Yoshima's predicament, he wouldn't want his father to be disappointed, and especially if it was going to make them feel better. So what if he let one applicant slide? Someone was going to get better because of it. Right? "I guess I can let you pass," Elodea said solemnly.

"AH! Thank you! Now I know my mother will be cured! Thank you!" The only thing his mother needs to be cured of is to get rid of a good for nothing son, who doesn't return her calls and doesn't visit during the holidays. How rude!

But then, Elodea felt guilt in the bottom of his stomach. He remembered what his dad told him. Killua entrusted Elodea to do this single most important job! He couldn't let him down! Elodea lifted up the whistle from his neck and said, "Sorry Yoshima, but I can't let you pass. Maybe next year." He brought the whistle closer to his mouth, until Yoshima grabbed ahold of Elodea.

Yoshima grabbed Elodea's hand and covered his mouth. "Listen, pipsqueak. I _am_ going to pass this year, or else there will be consequences that you will pay for."

Suddenly, Yoshima realized that he would be paying for the dire consequences. He looked up and held in his scream that sounds like a little girl. IT was the proctor! Or the proctor's father! Killua looked down on the man. He had his hand clenched on Yoshima's arm. His hand twisted upon the man's arm and a glorious, high pitched scream could be heard all across the mansion.

"You're disqualified," said Killua, coldheartedly.

The birds flocked away from the noise, and Elodea blocked his ears. It sounded like someone's scapula was broken mixed in with the sudden realization of failure.

* * *

The exam ended with two applicants passing the exam, Madrid Sierren and Korey Kuttle. Madrid proved herself by cleverly masking her aura and using a deco to distract the proctor. Korey, with no prior knowledge of nen what so ever, was able to conceal his aura and avoided the attention all other applicants and even Elodea himself. One could say he disappeared from the exam site completely.

In the year of the 301st hunter exam, two overly qualified applicants passed the exam and were worthy of being called the prestigious title that many strive to attain in their lifetime, known as a hunter.

* * *

Elodea, wearing his hardcore rocket ship pajamas, bounced up and down on his bed; with every jump a squeak from the mattress sung. Messing up his sheets and tussling his blanket, today was way too exciting. There was no way he could go to sleep at only 8:30 PM. He has too much energy to go to sleep.

Killua opened the door and said sternly, "We're leaving for Saherta in the morning and you need to get up early tomorrow. It's time to go to bed. So get to it." Elodea, midway in air, crisscrossed his legs like a pretzel and fell down on the mattress with a defeated look and mumbled an okay. Killua closed the door, but only to return a few minutes later when he heard giggling and squeaking sounds coming from the room.

Killua opened the door, and Elodea immediately stopped his fun activity of aerobic mattress jumping and sat on the bed still as a statue, holding in his laughter. That mischievous smile of his was giving him away. Darn it, he was about to jump high enough to touch the ceiling too, until his dad showed up.

"Goodnight, Elodea," said Killua.

"Goodnight, Dad," said Elodea.

Killua closed the door behind him and waited there for a couple of seconds. Not to his surprise, he heard the continued sounds of joy and laughter. He opened the door again and this time, tucked Elodea in bed, nice and tight.

"What will it take for you to go to bed?"

"If you tell me a story, please." Elodea cupped his hands together, along with pouting his lips paired with puppy dog eyes. No one can say no to that, not even Killua.

"You drive a hard bargain. Okay, move over." Elodea was not only exited that his bedtime would be extended, but that his dad is going to tell him an epic story. Killua moved and laid alongside the edge of the bed. "What will it be? Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Bean Stock, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," said Killua scrolling through a mental list of fairytales.

"Can you tell me the story of how I got my scars," Elodea said. "It's my favorite." Ever since Killua rescued Elodea from the burning house in Kukan'yu. Elodea has permanent red scars on the sides of his ribcage. The wounds did fade a bit over time, but they are still obviously visible. But Elodea didn't mind the scars, the story that went along with them excited him.

"Not Cinderella or the Three Musketeers?"

Elodea shook his head, adamant about his decision.

"Okay," Killua told this story to Elodea whenever he requested it and the boy loved it ever since the first time he heard it. To Elodea, it became a myth, a legend of a valiant hero journeying on a dangerous adventure. Seeing the smile on Elodea's face, didn't make Killua feel guilty he was telling a lie. Only a little though. Killua breathed and started out the story the way he always does, "You were outside, laying in the crib."

Elodea smiled.

"I only went inside momentarily to grab a milk bottle for you. You were incredibly fussy." Killua shook his head, playfully. "While I was in the kitchen, I saw something flying in the sky, it was too small to be an airplane, but too big to be a bird. 'What could that be?' I wondered to myself. When it got closer, I was surprised! It was a giant falcon. Six feet tall, with massive talons, and hungry eyes. It was a mistake to dress you in a pink onesie. Especially on a baby with a bald head, the falcon mistook you for a worm. It picked you up with its talons and flew away with you to its nest."

"What happened next?" Elodea asked only for dramatic effect. He knows what happens next, his favorite part was coming up soon.

"I followed the falcon. That's what happened. It dug its talons into your sides and intended to take you to its nest." Elodea looked down towards his ribcage, then back up at Killua. "It carried you across open plains full of ravenous wolves and coyotes. But that didn't stop me. I ran past them. It carried you across the merciless jungles full of venomous, man eating plants and ferocious jaguars. But that didn't stop me. I cut them all down. It carried you across the raging ocean full of savage sharks and killer whales. But that didn't stop me. I swam past them all."

"I think I remember that. Looking down on the earth," Elodea said.

Killua laughed, "How was the view?"

"It was awesome."

Killua continued, "The falcon's nest was located on the top of a rocky mountain, surrounded by boulders spiked like knives. So I scaled the mountain. When I reached the top, I saw that the falcon was holding you from its beak. It was going to feed you to its hatchlings! Those featherless new borns were jumping up and down, knocking over one another to get their greedy share of the meal. I was furious, outraged. As if my anger transcended into the sky, lighting struck the top of the mountain. While the falcon was distracted, I threw a rock to its heart. It stumbled around the nest and let go of you from its beak. The hatchlings were disappointed for a lost meal."

"Serves them right." Elodea nodded. "I'm nobody's meal ticket."

"Finally," Killua paused for dramatic effect and softened his voice to a whisper, "I held you, safe in my arms. That bird may have left scars on you, but that is proof that you can survive any hardship in life. You are a tough little warrior."

Elodea smiled, then asked "What happened to the hatchlings?"

"We had falcon for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a whole week. We got fat from it too. They were just too delicious." Both were laughing.

When Elodea's eyelids became too heavy for him to keep open, he asked another question, "Dad, are you asleep yet?" Elodea yawned.

"No, not yet."

"Okay, just checking."

"Elodea, are you asleep yet?" Killua asked.

"No, not yet," Elodea deeply yawned once more.

"Okay, just checking."

"Dad."

"Yes?"

"What's a regret? The guy at the exam site said you would regret something." Elodea said in a drowsy voice with his eyes closed. His head was resting on the pillow, soft as a cloud.

Killua remembered at the end of the exam, he had to disqualify Yoshima Kiyuzaki from disobeying a very important rule. The exam committee had to escort Yoshima away from the site, because he was causing such a ruckus. He was hauled away, wearing a sling around his arm because Killua broke his scapula, screaming at the top of his lungs, 'you will regret this! One day, you'll see! You'll regret this!" What a sore loser.

"A regret," said Killua, "is when you feel guilt over something that has been done, or sadness over something you wish you could have done differently."

"Do you have any regrets," Elodea said through sleepy mumbles.

"None that I'm aware of."

"That's good." Elodea smiled, then fell sound asleep.

Killua kissed the top of Elodea's head and whispered goodnight. He stayed by Elodea's side and started to feel drowsy himself. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. He thought of the idea of regret and thought it was preposterous. Sure he made bad decisions here and there, but nothing momentously worth taking back, but then he thought of one thing. That he truly, deep in his heart regretted.

He leaned further back on the pillow and turned towards Elodea, who was sleeping soundly. He was probably dreaming of concurring the falcon on top of the mountain. He said to the still air, cool wind, and light of the nightlight which barely lit the room. What he said fell on death ears, and whispered, "I regret missing the first eight months of your life. Eight months I will never get back."

Killua, too, fell asleep.

* * *

 **HI! Thank you for reading chapter 14! I so so so so so appreciate it *high fives***

 **(and thanks to my sister, b/c she named this chapter title for me, thanks!)**

 **I know this chapter came a lot later than the previous ones and I want to apologize for that right now. Sorry. There is school and homework and yah-da yah-da. So I want to say that chapters will be coming out at a slower pace than before. When the winter break rolls around, i'll be writing more chapters at a faster pace (hopefully) than I am now. I'm not hiding in a hole or rock or crater or any other large space, in the meantime I'm thinking about the story and how to structure it. Because the events in part 3 are turning my head into a convoluted jigsaw puzzle. WOoHOHOH!**

 **OH! There are so many things I want to do! In this chapter, it reveals that Madrid is alive (yay!) I want to write a little flashback chapter related to her. It might be the next chapter or later on. And there are other flashback stories I want to write about too! I can't say for who else, but I _think_ I want to write one for Illumi too, maybe...** **Then when the festive holiday season comes around, I want to write a Christmas story. These are all just fun flashback chapters. Just some things to maybe expect in the future.**

 **I wacked out the whole hunter exam in one chapter, (Yoshima, i feel so sorry for you, but you were so much fun to write XD ) and now Killua and Elodea are off to Saherta to meet up with Gon and Alluka. We're almost rearing the end of part 2.**

 **Thank for reading, faving, reviewing, following! I really appreciate it and I'll see you next time!**

 **Bye!**


	15. Halloween Special

**Hello everyone!**

 **This chapter is a "Halloween Special," so it is just a filler/flashback chapter (you don't even need to read this, if you don't want to. This is a filler chapter...I'm a hypocrite). Its just a fun and silly one-shot story and I really hope you all enjoy it! The next update is the official chapter 15-**

 **"chapter 15: Father x and x Son", continuing on with the current plot. (its already up) so skip ahead if you want to read that.**

 **Thank you for your continued support and happy reading!**

* * *

The solar flare was positioned at the highest peak in the autumn sky, hovering like a phantom above the crisp, crimson leaves mimicking the fiery brilliance of the sun. The wind blew through the branches and whispered callous thoughts, making the leaves quiver with fright.

One by one, each blood red leaf flittered towards the ground. Their fire diminishing and losing its spark upon resting on the ice, cold bed of earth.

The sound of crushed leaves echoed underneath Killua's feet. He looked up towards the sky with the gray, lustered clouds filling its empty void of space. Gently, he breathed in the cool air filling his lungs, then sighed.

A branch snapped.

Killua turned his head, quickly. He looked towards the decayed oak tree with cobwebs dripping down from its bony branches. Up and high in the tree, minuscule to the naked eye, a black widow was seen weaving a nest. Its razor-edged fangs and hairy legs, maneuvered between each thread of the silver lining, crafting a deadly trap. Its dozens of eyes, studied its surroundings of simpleton fruit flies soaring around its nest. A freshly woven nest for freshly scrumptious prey.

A spider will be eating plenty tonight.

Through his periphery, a figured blurred out of focus and disappeared in the shadows. Killua released a breath, exhaling a cloud of warm air. He walked closer towards the bushes, quietly. Not making a sound. He bent down and with his right hand, he reached out closer towards the source. The sound of leaves crinkled against his candle-like fingers.

"I know you're here," Killua breathed. "Come on out."

He parted the veil of leaves and in his surprise, he stared at nothingness. Only a pile of twigs, forest scented pinecones, and acorns of miscellaneous sizes. Good for arts and crafts on a tight minimalist budget. Inexpensive, fun for the whole family, and sensitive to all monetary concerns.

Killua cocked his head to the side. He was positive someone was there. Suddenly, a shriek was projected out from behind him and the shadowy figure jumped onto his back.

"Bleh," said the sugar coated voice, anything but terrifying, "I want to suck your blood!" Elodea, not-really-menacingly said. He wore a black cape with a popped up collar that touched the bottom of his ears and wore in his mouth a pair of plastic white fangs he bought in a capsule game for 25 cents. An adorable looking vampire, was what he was. Today, is not just any ordinary autumn day. Oh no no no. Today, the ghosts freely parade through the streets and witches glide on their broomsticks and Frankenstein and his monster boogie at the local pharmaceutical shop, a haven for every mad scientist and non-human experimentation. Today, my spooky pumpkins, is Halloween!

Killua laughed, "There's my scary vampire."

"You're not supposed to be laughing," Elodea pouted his rose colored cheeks and whirled his cape from side to side, "you're supposed to be scared."

It was getting harder and harder for Killua to keep a straight face. The corners of his lips were pinching upwards, trying his best to repress his smile. Seeing his son, merrily parading in his Halloween costume, trying to act scary, only tickled him pink. "What are you talking about?" Killua swallowed a laugh, "I'm petrified with fear."

"Then why are you giggling?" Elodea asked.

"My voice is quivering from shock," Killua retorted. Killua balanced himself, placing his hand on the ground, preventing himself from toppling over from overstimulation of laughter.

"Then why are you swaying from side to side?"

"Compressing my abdomen is the best way to quell terror." More like to prevent himself from tripping over in complete hysterics.

Elodea looked down at the dirt ground, kicked an imaginary rock with his foot, and sulked heavily. The boy realized that he wasn't a convincing blood thirsty demon of the night monster that a vampire shoulder be. He was more, how shall we say, in pop culture terminology…'kawaii.'

It was even harder to scare his father, who never seemed to be scared of anything.

Once Killua was finished tittering internally, he saw that Elodea was deeply distressed by this phenomenon. So Killua, conjured up a solution, and retrieved a special item from his back pocket. It was revealed to be a pack of 'super-slimy-major-ewie-gooey-gushers.' A type of gummy candy filled with sugary syrup, known to cause cavities if consumed daily. It was ironic that an ad for dental hygiene was printed on the back of the box. Since it is All Hallows Eve, the streets are pilfered with free candy. It was no surprise that Killua, a man with a penchant for all things delectably sweet, took a sample of delicacies here and there….in all modesty.

He tilted the box of gummies with one rolling into the palm of his hand, and handed it to Elodea. "Bite down on this," he said. Elodea removed his plastic fangs and bit into the gooey flesh of the gummy. Glossy, red syrup dripped down his lips to his chin. Killua wiped away some droplets and touched up details to make it look like blood was dripping from the little vampire's mouth.

Elodea lit up like a jack-o-lantern in the dark. This was a major improvement to his costume. He was definitely more terrifying now!

Killua thought Elodea looked even cuter with the syrup looking blood dripping down his chin. He placed the box of gummies back into his pocket and held Elodea's hand, and both began to walk.

"Dad, when can we go trick or treating?" Elodea asked, impatiently.

"Just as soon as I finish up a job with the mayor, then we can treat until dawn breaks. It will be quick, I promise."

Elodea sucked in his cheeks, whenever he heard that last phrase from his father, it always turned out to be the exact opposite. The jobs that Killua is hired for, always take a more than generous amount of time to complete. Hours, days, to weeks! Elodea thought, if they were lucky, that he would be able to get treats when it is half past his bedtime and when the only candy left in the entire town is sugar free raisins and tongue scrapers for oral hygiene. "I can go by myself. I'll go only to the decorated houses and stay in a group with kids my age," he pleaded.

Killua shook his head, disapprovingly. "You can't go trick or treating by yourself. You need an adult to go with you." You never know when you might encounter a complete lunatic. Especially during this time of year, when psychopaths scare kids or put razor blades in candy! Horrible! Just terrible!

They walked up onto the granite steps of Gracilis town hall.

"Okay…" Elodea let out a defeated breath. Suddenly he heard a sound of aura coming from the woods he and his father were walking in. Suddenly, he saw a bush tremble and a pair of squinting yellow eyes were peering at him through leaves. Elodea gawked and his head wouldn't turn away, not even when he walked into the town hall, even when the front doors closed behind him.

Separating him and the unknown beast.

The walls of the reception office was decorated with black and orange cutouts of ghosts and witches. Fake cobwebs clung to the head receptionist's desk. The receptionist herself was a woman in her late 80's with pure white hair that was curled profusely. She wore festive spectacles on her face that had design details of spiders crawling on them. Not to mention her tacky Halloween sweater that featured dancing pumpkins and a whole lot of sequins that put a disco ball to shame. Killua slightly everted his eyes to protect his retinas. Elodea was the first one to pipe up, putting his improved, scary costume to the test.

"Roar! I'm a vampire!" Elodea said. The receptionist, Maureen, removed her spectacles to get a better look at the boy. Since she is nearsighted, far away objects are hard to see. Once she laid her eyes on the boy, he was a peach with whipped cream.

"Aren't you just the most adorable monster ever?" She gushed with joy. She grabbed the bowl full of rainbow wrapped hard candy, "Would you like some candy?"

"No thank you," Elodea said and titled his head downwards, disappointedly.

Just as Killua was talking with the receptionist, the doors to the mayor's office sprung open vigorously. A short man with a hefty mustache walked out of the room, marching towards Killua and Elodea. He shook Killua's hand, jubilantly. "Good day to you sir," he looked down towards Elodea, "and an extra good day to you little sir," he tipped his black brimmed hat.

"Yes, hello to you too Mayor Meri-weather," said Killua.

"Ah! I'm so happy we have someone on the case, you wouldn't imagine how many loonies we had to go through, before we got to you." The mayor swiveled his mustache with his fingers and found a piece of raspberry flavored mint stuck in between his stash. "Candy, good sir?" he offered to Killua.

"Oh, no thanks," Killua waved his hands in front of him, "turns out I'm allergic to mint and hair…and any combination of the two."

"I've heard of that epidemic in the Swizzle-Time magazine," the mayor nodded, all too seriously. "Apparently, it effects everyone in my office, what a shame." He plopped the piece of hairy mint candy into this mouth. Killua gaged a bit. "This is a very serious issue that no one must hear, please come into my office." Mayor Meri-weather looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was spying on his conversation. No one was. "I'd also advice that the little one sits tight here in the lobby, it's not something for innocent ears." The mayor dashed back into this office, gesturing quickly with his hand for Killua to come in with him.

Killua's brow twitched, and this was one of the many times in his life he wished he was his own boss. "Go and take a seat over there. I'll be out soon and don't go wandering off." He said to Elodea.

Elodea slumped his shoulders and slouched down in his chair. So far, this was the most boring Halloween he has ever experienced. At this rate he won't even be able to trick or treat for sugar free raisins. What felt like hours, but was really five minutes and seventeen seconds, Elodea looked towards the door and heard the continued sound of aura. Something that intrigued him greatly.

He eyed the receptionist who was typing vigorously on her computer. She was writing fiction, I mean, an important business-economic-managerial-memo-report….that happened to incorporate hot knights slaying a dragon to save the ever so beautiful princess Maureen. Anyway.

Elodea found that this was his perfect opportunity to sneak outside. He tiptoed his way towards the exit, and closed the door behind him before the cold wind pounced its way into the room.

The receptionist Maureen looked up briefly from her _work_ then dedicatedly continued back to her _report,_ undisturbed.

* * *

When Killua stepped into Mayor Meri-weather's office, the mayor placed a chair behind the door, to lock it securely. Not that anyone would break in. Then proceeded to close the windows and blinds and shades, and then to check up on them again just to make sure that he really closed them. Not that he wouldn't forget. "No one must hear." The mayor turned his head back and forth from his potted fern plant to his filing cabinet, wide eyed.

"How on earth did you get elected?" Killua said out loud.

"Electoral win by default from the competitor party," Meri-weather answered seriously, then continued, "Gracilis towns prides itself on its Halloween spirit, I really don't want there to be a public disturbance. The town deserves to have fun without worries."

Killua nodded.

"Recently, the Magical Beast Prison was going to do a transfer of a special prisoner to an isolated location," the mayor said. Killua knew about this unique prison, instead of locking up humans, it locks up magical beasts that prove to be too dangerous for society.

"Was this beast being terrorized from the others and had to be separated?"

"Absolutely the reverse, it was terrorizing the other prisoners!" The mayor said, "The beast escaped during the transfer and is somewhere in our beloved town. Please, you must apprehend this criminal before it harms my citizens."

Killua has hunted down many monsters in his career, one possibly couldn't cause him any trouble at all. He was confident that he could finish the job and still have time to take Elodea trick or treating. He rolled his wrist, "What magical beast is it?"

"Only one of the most conniving and sinister beasts that ever has inhabited this very earth." The mayor leaned forward and gravely whispered, "It's a Kiriko."

* * *

The wind blew through Elodea's bangs and caused the boy to shiver. His cape didn't provide him with that much warmth. His teeth chattered and he wrapped his arms around himself to be a little less cold than before. Which really didn't help.

He stopped in front of an old oak tree when he heard the sound of aura at its highest frequency. He put his plastic fangs back into his mouth and looked around. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him, and this time Elodea decided himself that he would prove to be scary. He concentrated his strength in his leg muscles and pushed down on the ground, he turned around and with his most frightening face he could think of, scared the living daylights out of the Kiriko that was standing behind him.

The kiriko jumped back in fright. All color washed away from its yellow, fury face when it slammed its back against the oak tree and curled up in a ball and started trembling, profusely.

In one sense, Elodea was pleased that someone finally thought he was scary. On the other hand, he scared this poor individual down to the wails of a baby lamb. He started to feel guilty. He reached his hand outward to pat the Kiriko on the shoulder, to just tell him it was a joke, a prank, a simple trick! The kiriko flinched when Elodea barely touched its shoulder. He heard the sound of the creature's aura, and it was truly terrified.

"I'm sorry," said Elodea, "I didn't mean to scare you….that badly."

"There's blood dripping down from your mouth, you're going to eat me!" The kiriko retorted.

"It's only syrup," Elodea licked some off his mouth, "its cherry flavored too."

"A-and those sharp fangs!" The creature shuddered, "You'll tear my flesh with them!"

"They're not real," Elodea took out his white, plastic fangs. Then he pointed to the Kiriko, "You have fangs and claws too, except yours are real. What's to say you weren't going to drink my blood or tear my flesh with them?"

The kiriko was baffled by the child's response, "I. Would. Never. Just because I have fangs and claws doesn't make me a monster. I'm better than that." The kiriko curled up into a ball, tight. "I just wanted to talk to humans, but the bigger ones always seem to be the most judgmental."

"You mean the adults?"

The kiriko nodded, "I thought that I'd have a better chance with a little one. They seem to look at the world more kindly than the bigger ones do, but I guess I was wrong. They are just as scary." The kiriko drew a circle in the dirt, depressed.

Elodea smiled and reached out his hand, first the kiriko flinched again, then stared at the hand from the boy, "Nice to meetcha, I'm Elodea." His purple eyes sparkled and the boy's aura calmed down the kiriko. The kiriko outreached his clawed hand too.

"M-My name is Taryn," the kiriko stuttered.

"Why did you want to meet a human, Taryn?"

"Because," Taryn stood up, confidently. "Humans are very interesting. I especially love their music. I heard my first human music when I was just a cub that could crawl on all fours in my family's burrowed den, ever since then I studied up on human etiquette and culture. So I could one day meet them in person! I even know all of the traditional dances too, like the Charleston, the Hustle, the Macarena, and the Cha-cha slide."

"Those are all classic dances," Elodea nodded. "Then why haven't you done that before when you can easily shape shift into a human yourself?" Elodea questioned. It was common knowledge that Kiriko, a magical beast, can shapeshift into any living being they wanted to. Including human beings. Elodea even recounted the time when his dad told him the tale of his first time meeting Kiriko's whilst taking the hunter exam. Taryn, fumbled with his claws and mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath. Elodea leaned in forward and gestured for Taryn to speak again, for he didn't hear him the first time. Taryn whispered the sentence to Elodea and Elodea widened his eyes and shouted, "You can't shape shift!"

"Shh! Not so loud," Taryn pleaded. Taryn was the laughing stock of the entire Kiriko community that lived around the human infested town of Gracilis. The Kiriko's isolated themselves from the humans, and preferred minimal interaction with the species. If the Kiriko's did go into town, which was seldom, they shapeshift into the scrawny and fleshy creatures known as humans to remain unnoticed. Sadly, Taryn couldn't do any of these things. Forget about shape shifting into a human, he couldn't even shape shift into a simple goose when the Kiriko children wanted to play 'duck-duck goose.' As a result, Taryn was subjected to constant bullying as a child; and currently suffers from low self-esteem. The reason he didn't go meet with the humans before, was because they could never accept a creature with sharp fangs and claws. They will only see him as they want to see him, a monster. A blood thirsty creature of the night. Especially after the whole chimera ant incident, there is a huge stigma against magical beasts by the populace.

"But today is Halloween, you don't need to shape shift," chimed Elodea. "You'll blend right in with everyone else in town whose wearing costumes."

"I don't know," sheepishly said Taryn. "They'll definitely know that I'm not one of them."

"They should see you for you, not for what you look like." Elodea smiled, "How about I go with you? Everything is easier with a friend." Not only did Elodea wanted to help the Kiriko, who he could tell was a kind and sensitive soul; but he desperately wanted to go trick or treating. After all, his dad did say that he just needed an _adult_ to accompany him. (Our poor lad also blatantly ignored the fact that he was supposed to stay put in the lobby of the town hall. Waiting for his dad. To return. At any flippin moment….oy vey)

"A friend?"

Elodea smiled and that single gesture, warmed the Kiriko's heart. Taryn nodded and off they went into the heart of Gracilis Town to enjoy the splendors of All Hallows Eve.

Together.

* * *

Killua's parental instincts were tingling, but he was stuck in a meeting with the mayor who went off into a weird tangent about his fight with a three headed chicken off in the Serengeti desert. Apparently the mayor was the only witness to the event, and therefore the tale was subjected to ALOT of exaggeration. But who would ever know? More importantly, who would ever point it out to the mayor himself, who jubilantly enjoyed telling the tale?

When Killua's thoughts carried him to thinking about how long it would take the mayor to be institutionalized in an insane asylum and burn down said building with only a stapler all in one day, Killua graciously excused himself saying it was in the best interest of the people if he started his assignment immediately. Not only did he want to get the hell away from the loony mayor; he also wanted to check up on his son Elodea, who was angelically and patiently waiting in the lobby as he was told. Right?

Killua emerged from the mayor's office and his eyes bulged out from his head. Elodea wasn't sitting down in the lobby! He was gone! Killua briskly walked over to Maureen who was fervently typing on her keyboard, _the dragon chomped down unto the knight, but it had no effect. Who needs heavy metal chain armor when you have a 6 pack of abs!_ She typed.

Killua, annoyed, knocked up on her desk and got the woman's attention. She ceased her typing and looked up at the man. "My son was sitting down on that chair," he pointed, "Where did he go?"

Maureen gazed across the room and shrugged, "hmm, I don't know. But it's a parent's job to keep an eye on their children."

He wasn't asking for advice! He asked where his son was! Killua sucked in a breath and wholeheartedly convinced himself that he wasn't going to throw that woman's laptop out the window, he was trying so, so hard. Killua concentrated his aura into En, and found that Elodea was nowhere in the building.

As Killua walked out the front doors, Maureen tilted her glasses to the tip of her nose and watched the man exit the building. She immediately turned back to her keyboard and typed, _suddenly, descending from the heavens a handsome spirit with silky white hair and a chiseled jaw line captivated the hearts of_ ….

While Maureen found a new plot twist to her story, Killua was on a quest to find his son.

Killua surveyed the woods and shouted several times for Elodea, but no one came. Then he examined the ground and found fresh footprints embedded into the muddy soil. One small and one big. His heart scampered when he realized that his son wasn't traveling by himself. What he could tell from the prints, there was no struggle indicated by either individuals and there were no other external clues leading to force. Both parties left willingly towards the town.

But from what Killua saw behind the trees. Their bark was slashed profusely by sharp talons that dug inches into the hard, healthy wood.

No more than a split second later, Killua moved so fast an after image appeared in his place, only to slowly fade to a meshed blur than to nothingness.

* * *

While Elodea walked nonchalantly through the crowded streets of Gracilis, Taryn was shyly trailing behind Elodea. His clawed hands were folded in front of him and he was tiptoeing past each and every human he passed. Not only did he stick out like a sore thumb, measuring up to seven feet tall, and that was him hunching over to appear smaller. This is the first time in Taryn's life that he has seen so many humans at once, especially at a very close distance. His brow was sweating and he was starting to feel dizzy. This was too much overstimulation in such a short amount of time. He was positive he was going to faint from all this social interaction. Taryn only eyed the concrete ground and couldn't bare to look anyone in the eyes.

Elodea held a plastic pumpkin container with his candy and looked up at Taryn, "So far, you haven't done anything other than silently walk behind me." Elodea pushed Taryn up to a shop with a woman giving out candy. "This is the only time of the year when people give out free candy to complete strangers. It's a candy gold mine."

"I-I don't think can do this. It's all so much in one day. I'll have to go back home and prepare for next year." Taryn was about to scurry backwards until Elodea intervened.

"It's easy, all you have to say is 'trick or treat."

"But what do I do!? What are the social sanctions, the norms, and the proper etiquette?! You humans make it look so easy."

"Live and learn," was all Elodea said. Taryn sheepishly walked up on the front steps of the shop and the woman smiled at him.

"What an amazing costume you have. It's so realistic." she said, mesmerized. Taryn looked back at Elodea for emotional support and who a second, his mind blanched. Elodea mouthed the sacred words one must chant to acquire the succulent treasure.

"T-Trick or T-Treat," Taryn said, uncertainly.

The woman graciously handed him a generous serving of mini milk chocolate bars. Then she continued to hand out more candy to the other trick or treaters. Taryn left that front stoop feeling like a firework in the pitch black sky. Sparks flying everywhere. He was jubilantly happy. It was amazing! The little candy bar in his hand, felt like a trophy proving his accomplishment.

This small step gave Taryn a huge leap of confidence. He finally looked up from the ground and saw the humans pass by him. He really saw them! People dressed as ghosts and ghouls having fun, and they were all smiling up and him, telling him he has the most impressive costume they have ever seen. They thought he, a kiriko, was one of them! This brought tears of joy to Taryn, and Elodea leaned back on the cobble stone wall, sucking on a lollipop, feeling all too proud of his pupil.

The fun isn't over yet! There is more of the town to be seen!

* * *

Killua swore that when he would find Elodea, he was going to put an end to all this fun and lay down some rules.

He could tell from the footprints that the creature accompanying Elodea was a Kiriko. But was it the one mayor was talking about? All these thoughts flooded his head, to forget the job, and find his son. That was his top priority.

Suddenly he halted in his tracks and stared in front of him. Something, a distraction never the less, intrigued him greatly.

A group of girls were standing in front of a patisserie, decorated with chocolate begets, cinnamon rolls covered with sweet cream cheese, and vanilla petit fours with edible flowers. One lady, in particular was wearing a very revealing sailor outfit with a white hat and choker necklace with an anchor charm in the middle. How her mother let her walk out of the house like that, I don't know, but she saw the handsome man standing in her direction and notified her friends immediately.

"Oh my Lanta, do you see that hottie over there? He's looking right at me." She gushed. One of her friends, wearing a last minute costume consisting of a black hoodie jacket with a pair of cat ears on her head. A simple, but very comfortable costume. She was still wearing her PJ's too. The girl snorted.

"He is so out of your league," the cat eared girl said while scrolling through her iPhone.

"Just you wait. He'll be coming right over here any minute now, begging for my attention." And she was right, Killua was walking in their direction. The sailor girl, immediately struck a pose and flipped her hair dramatically. Pouting her lips like she's seen the models do in Vo-oh-gue Magazine. The cat eared girl was dumbfounded to actually see the white haired man walk over towards them. When he was a few feet away from them, the lady spoke up and said, "I was wondering when you would -"

Only to be obliviously ignored, Killua walked past her to the counter behind them, featuring a pudgy man with round cheeks. Killua stared up at the giant marvel in front of him and was astounded. "Beautiful," he breathed.

"Happy Halloween, would you like to take part in our patisserie's annual jelly bean count contest. The prize this year is a 12 foot long, completely made out of pure cocoa bean, chocolate robo. And I guarantee that it is not hollow, it solid dark chocolate." The man said proudly, "Did you know that choco robo's are one of the most popular candies in the entire world. For the last 15 years they have reigned that supreme title."

"I know," Killua said, blown away by this master piece. His mouth was already watering from imagining the tantalizing taste of the chocolate.

"Excellent," said the man, "All you have to do is guess the amount of jelly beans in the jar and this prize is all yours." Before Killua could utter an answer, his ears perked up and brought him back to reality. He heard someone speak of a giant person dressed in a yellow fury costume accompanying a kid dressed as a vampire. Adrenaline spiked in his veins.

"Put me down for 435!" He said, then ran off into the crowd.

"Thank you for participating! The winner will be announced at the Gracilis Halloween Ball tonight!"

* * *

Elodea and Taryn were living it up in town square. After they finished gorging on their candy, and rested on haystacks, suffering from an intense food coma. A band, consisting of a clarinet, cornet, bass, and piano, were playing in the middle of the square. Witches, werewolves, and even a guy dressed as a hamper of dirty laundry were all dancing together.

Taryn felt confident to strut his dance moves and everyone cheered him on. People were telling him to dance at the Halloween Ball tonight. Every year, Gracilis Town holds a Halloween party for all of its citizens, and the person who showcases the most Halloween spirit of the town is crowned 'Head Pumpkin.'

When they arrived at the Ball, a man dressed as a skeleton greeted them as they walked under a black and orange balloon arch. The music pounded their ears and cobwebs and spiders hung from the ceiling and a giant jack o'lantern was placed on a high pedestal on the stage. The lights were flashing rainbow colors upon all of the citizens of Gracilis Town, boogieing on the dance floor.

When the DJ began to play the "Thriller." Taryn was the first one to the dance floor. Elodea would have gone up too, but he was all tuckered out and preferred to sit at the table. Taryn, being the big hulky creature that he is, made quite a performance on the dance floor. Especially since he was at the head of the group leading the thriller dance. His passion and enthusiasm shined through his dancing perfectly and it was no doubt he was crowned 'Head Pumpkin,' by the townsfolk themselves.

Taryn stood on stage, feeling the happiest he has ever felt in his entire life. Until the mayor stepped onstage to crown the winner. The atmosphere completely changed from pleasant to hostile.

"Seize that monster!"

* * *

Killua made his way down the hall towards the Ball room. At the town square, the band said they did see his son and that he and his friend were heading to the Halloween party. Killua bit his lip, he was going to have a long discussion with Elodea about today's events and his fists were going to have a very physical non-verbal discussion with that Kiriko that dragged Elodea around town all day.

A monster is what it is, thought Killua. When he passed the custodian closet, he heard loud thumping sounds as if someone was trying to break through the door. He also heard muffled shouts, as if someone was gagged. When Killua opened the door, a tied up man plopped to the ground with a loud thud. Killua immediately recognized the man with his incredible mustache that made him want to gag all over again.

"Mayor Meri-Weather?" Killua said, "I knew politics was corrupt, but I didn't think it was this bad."

"Hunter Coal!" shouted Meri-Weather, who was tied up and happened to only be dressed in his underpants. Which surprisingly didn't bother the mayor, there were other pressing matters to attend to. "We must hurry! The Kiriko is in the ballroom!"

* * *

"Seize that monster!" Shouted the mayor. "Do not let this beast fool you. It is not human, that is the Kiriko that escaped from the Magical Beast Prison. It will stop at nothing to exact its revenge on mankind for locking it up in darkness."

The DJ looked at Taryn suspiciously, and when realization took a hold of him, he backed away. Along with everyone else in the ball room. Instead of looking at Taryn as the person with the most Halloween spirit, their perception of him immediately changed, within a split second. No one gave reason a chance to sink in, fear took over their minds. Screams. Shouts. Yelling. People ran away from the stage, shielding their children, and running away.

It also didn't help that the thriller music was playing over all the panic, especially with the lyrics " _Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood. To terrorize y'awl's neighborhood…"_

Taryn was petrified. His biggest nightmare come true. Everyone was looking at his claws, shrieking at his sharp teeth, pointing at his savage appearance. The stage lights all targeted Taryn and blinded him. He covered his eyes with his hands and backed up against the curtain wall.

One by one, belligerent voices took over. Saying rotten words to make one's own soul curdle from disgust.

Taryn felt something hard hit his shoulder. The blow at first felt numb, but not for long. A painful stinging sensation took over his shoulder. He slid down on the ground and curled up into a ball and whispered, "I should have never came." The lights still blinding him.

It is tragic how people turn on one another so quickly.

Taryn noticed that the lights weren't blinding him anymore. He was encased in a shadow. A little shadow to be precise. Elodea took off his black cape and placed it on his friend then stood to face the crowd. They all hushed when they saw a sweet child defending the monstrous beast.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves," Elodea said, looking down at the townsfolk. "You don't know how kind he really is, how he was so excited to meet all of you here today. He's been waiting for this for years. Before, you've all treated him so lovingly. Laughing, dancing, and playing. What changed?" The atmosphere began to become less hostile, the expressions on their faces softened and their stances became less tense. People were now looking at each other in confusion. What were they to believe?

Elodea took out his plastic fangs and wiped off the syrup on his mouth. "Stop looking at the claws. Stop looking at the fangs. Stop judging. Stop labeling. See him for who he really is. My friend. And I know all of you like him too."

The mayor walked up to Elodea, angrily. That was when Elodea noticed something different about the man, his aura was different from this morning. How odd. The mayor pointed to the Kiriko and shouted, "That thing, has no place in our society. It will be locked up forever and never see the light of day again! Out of my way!" With a swift fling of his arm, the mayor tossed Elodea across the stage, knocking the podium which the giant pumpkin stood. It tumbled and wobbled from side to side. Until, it finally fell off the edge, accelerating towards the ground. The crowd shrieked and other's closed their eyes to not see the disastrous event.

Gasps echoed across the room. Bewilderment captivated the audience when they saw Taryn lifting up the pumpkin above Elodea with all his might; saving the boy.

Killua sprang up unto the stage and brought Elodea into his arms. "Don't scare me like that." Killua continued to hold Eldoea, gently rubbing his back, mumbling kind words. Elodea realized that his father, a man who is never scared of anything, does have fears. Just not the fears he originally thought they were. Everyone is scared of something, whether it's a crazed clown on the street, failing an exam, or losing a loved one. Fear is as broad ranged as the everlasting sky. To make us hold one to the ones we hold close, protecting them from harm.

It's not always a bad thing.

"We should judge people by their character, not by their appearance." Killua turned towards Taryn and outreached his hand. At first, Taryn flinched then realized the man held out his hand as a sign of peace. He shook Killua's hand. "Thank you for saving my son."

Taryn smiled and nodded his head.

"This man, you see before you is not your mayor, but an imposter," Killua walked towards the 'mayor' and pulled on his nose. Suddenly the mayor's face changed. Whiskers sprouted from his nose, yellow fur appeared on his skin, and long ears popped from his head. It was the kiriko that escaped from the prison! It planned on framing Taryn for its crimes and taking its place in prison. It is a simple trick to turn a kiriko back into its original form by simply pulling on their nose.

Killua turned towards the entrance, "That man is the real Mayor of Gracilis Town!" The doors flung open, revealing the Real Mayor Meri-Weather. The kiriko shrieked back, he was astonished that the mayor escaped from his trap. He made sure to tie him up thoroughly being able to shape shift and taking the mayor's place. The mayor gallantly walked onto the stage and swiped the black brimmed hat off the imposter. He placed it, rightfully, back onto his head.

"You will be escorted back to prison and never harm any of my citizens ever again. If you have any small speck of refinement in you, you will leave my humble town with dignity." The mayor tipped his nose up in the air, and walked to the center stage, in his underpants, and walked towards Taryn. "What is your name, good sir?"

"Taryn."

"Taryn has displayed good will and courage in the face of adversity. Characteristics that we all aspire to work towards every day. He showed us that the power of spirit of human, Kiriko, beast, shines bright. I here by decree, by our beautiful town, Taryn as the Head Pumpkin of this year's Halloween!" Everyone cheered and applauded when the mayor crowned Taryn the honorable title.

The night continued with fun and merriment. The mayor danced with Taryn and offered him the position as vice mayor. Taryn humbly objected, and instead the mayor invited Taryn to visit Gracilis Town whenever he wishes too.

Elodea sat at a rounded table, fumbling with the plastic table cloth. He was done with being a vampire and Halloween all together. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"You bet," said Killua.

Elodea sighed.

"Although, about what you said on stage before. I'm proud of you." Killua smiled, "You can have a little more fun for tonight. After that, you're grounded until your 50. You gave me at least a dozen heart attacks today." He crossed his arms, sternly.

Well, Elodea might as well make the most of the night while he still can, before he is perpetually grounded for life. He stood up and gestured for Killua to come to the dance floor and boogie with him. Killua shook his head from side to side, "Go on without me, I don't even have a costume anyway."

A lightbulb went off in Elodea's head. He grabbed a piece of hard, blue candy. He wet the surface with water, with the color dye dripping off. He used it to draw a curly mustache on Killua's face.

"Who am I supposed to be?"

"Satotz, of course."

"And what about you?"

"Just me."

On stage, the patisserie from the town bakery stood on stage. Behind him, stood the 12 foot long choco robo, and in his hand, he held the winner of the jelly bean count contest. He spoke into the microphone, "The winner of this year's contest is, drumroll please," ra-ta-ta's filled the room. "Coal Menfitz! Come up here and claim your prize!"

Elodea gasped with revelation, "How did you know the number of jelly beans? That's amazing!"

"I didn't really know the exact number. But I can make an educated guess by knowing the volume and surface area of the jar, and size of a single jelly bean. Everything after that is elementary."

Elodea's jaw dropped.

A photographer came round to them and held up his camera, "can I get a picture of the winner?" Killua put his arm around Elodea, both smiling brightly.

The camera flashed.

In the small town of Gracilis, nestled in alcoves of crimson leaves that are as brilliant as the sun. The annual ball is held on All Hallows Eve that miraculously falls on a full moon night each year. The silver moon light shines down on those underneath the hanging cobwebs, creatures of all types, goblins, ghosts, witches, magical beasts and humans.

Dancing merrily.

* * *

Later that night, at the Hunter Association, Satotz received a group text message attached with a photo, that's been going viral around the entire hunter community. He stared down at the image of Elodea and particularly of Killua with a very too familiar mustache just like someone else he knows. He blinked once, irritated.

"Everybody's a critic."

* * *

 **HAPPY HALLOWEEN**


	16. Chapter 15: Father x and x Son

**Chapter 15: Father x and x Son**

Killua leaned further back on the pillow and turned towards Elodea, who was sleeping soundly. He was probably dreaming of concurring the falcon on top of the mountain. He said to the still air, cool wind, and light of the nightlight which barely lit the room. What he said fell on death ears, and whispered, "I regret missing the first eight months of your life. Eight months I will never get back."

Killua, too, fell asleep.

* * *

 _The room was bright._

 _Killua lifted his hand over his eyes, sluggishly. He turned his head towards the window, which showed nothing in particular. It was a white black space, devoid of nature. Devoid of life. His attention turned back to the room, neat and tidy. This bewildered him. None of Elodea's toys were sloppily arranged on the ground. There was no light night with its flickering bulb in the outlet. There were no signs that anyone lived in that room at all._

 _It was plain._

 _A voice called out from the other room, bright and cheerful. Although, it was a voice that Killua didn't recognize. "I wasn't sure whether or not to make pancakes, but after checking the expiration date of the milk," the voice paused, possibly indicating a sound of nausea or disgust. "I'm making scrambled eggs instead!"_

 _Killua pushed himself off the bed, and lazily walked down the hallway. On his way to the kitchen, he heard the sounds of eggs sizzling and being whisked with a fork on the skillet._

 _The voice continued to speak, "I'm also chopping tomatoes to make a salad. Do you want anything else or is that good?"_

 _Killua made his way down to the entryway of the kitchen. He rubbed his eyes and stared at the back of the figure. He was wearing a white shirt and a pair of white shorts. When the figure turned around, it was a young boy. He had black hair and amethyst eyes and a smile that was as bright as the sun. At first Killua didn't recognize the boy, not at all._

 _Then it clicked in Killua's mind as his eyes studied the child. Understanding sweeping over him. The boy was taller, standing at a length of 5'4. He was leaner with his shoulders back and head held high; he had an essence of maturity around him. But his eyes were not different. They were same playful and innocent eyes he's seen every day._

 _It was his little boy, Elodea; who was not so little anymore._

 _Elodea smiled at his father, patiently waiting for an answer. "Dad?"_

" _u-ugh, no thank you," Killua rubbed his eyes again, "I'm good." He sat down at the table with breakfast laid out in front of him. A platter of scrambled eggs with a side of toast with a dash a butter, and a bowl consisting of chopped tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and oregano._

 _Elodea took the seat of the round table across from Killua. Elodea crisscrossed his legs and began to say thanks for a delicious morning breakfast, and began to eat. Killua looked to his right and saw two more guests sitting at the table with them. It was Rabbit and Miss Fox with her cubs._

 _They were sitting upright on the chairs, and Miss Fox even placed bibs on her baby cubs, so they wouldn't make a mess while eating. Fox and Rabbit were sitting next to one another, as friends, sharing scrambled eggs and a tomato salad._

 _Light of the morning sun from the window shined on top of Elodea's head. Killua smiled._

 _He didn't want to wake up from this lucid dream._

 _There was a knock on the door. "I got it," Elodea, immediately, rose from his seat and walked towards the door. Putting an end to his lovely dream, now a nightmare._

 _Killua looked to his right, to see Fox viciously bite Rabbit until she snapped his neck. Her cubs jumped unto the table, already tearing apart the rabbit's soft flesh. He looked back to his left and was horrified._

 _The door stood wide opened with Elodea standing in front of it, but he wasn't alone. Illumi stood there, whispering something manipulative to Elodea. His words cut deep into Elodea like fangs. Elodea slowly looked back towards Killua. A look of disbelief fell across the boy's face. Illumi gestured for Elodea to follow him._

 _He did._

 _Elodea's back faced Killua. Suddenly, two red dots appeared on Elodea's neck. Slowly, blood was dripping, then flowing, then pouring down on his white shirt. Staining his clothing a tragic shade of crimson red._

 _The door closed behind them, leaving Killua in the dust. He sprinted towards the door, swung it open and plummeted down towards the ferocious waves of Kukan'yu._

 _Savage waves whipped him in the face, dragging him under the dark, murky waters. He swam to the surface, only to be struck with another wave as hard as stone. He was spun, whirled, and dragged under the currents._

 _He made it to the surface once more, this time, water weeds wrapped around his legs. Purposely, pulling him down towards a watery grave. He looked up and saw Elodea standing on top of the water, calm underneath his feet._

 _Elodea stared down at Killua, apathetic._

 _Killua, against the force of the weeds, raised his arm up. So Elodea could grab his hand, and pull him up from the fierce waves. The waves were still punching him in the face._

 _Elodea's hands remained at his sides, unmoving. Only his lips moved, with words as cold as ice escaping his breath, "I don't help monsters." Illumi hunkered over Elodea, snickering._

 _Killua's eyes dilated, petrified. Suddenly, the weeds turned into the hands of the rebels. Choking him, pulling him, dragging him down with them. He was one of them. Before, he could utter a sound, he was wrenched underneath the water. Towards the bottom of the sea._

 _That's where all the monsters go._

* * *

Elodea poked Killua's cheek. Killua squirmed, barely.

"Daddy, you have to get up now." He poked Killua's cheek again. "Wake up." Elodea moaned into his pillow. His dad was the one that said they had to get up early, so they wouldn't miss the first flight to Saherta to meet Uncle Gon and Aunt Alluka. Elodea woke up early and Killua was the one sleeping in like a lazy cat! How rude!

He tugged on the hem of his rocket pajamas. Maybe Elodea would have a better chance of waking Killua on the other side of the bed? Killua opened his eyes when Elodea wasn't looking and closed them when Elodea was standing in front of him. Feigning a peaceful state of slumber.

Elodea pulled on Killua's arm with both of his hands, and he pulled with all of his might, which didn't do much good. He flopped onto the ground and huffed. Elodea's upper body strength was equivalent to that of a newborn kitten compared to his father's.

What other ways could he wake his father up? Splashing water on a person usually wakes them up, from what he's seen on sitcoms on TV. Where was a cup of water when he needed one? Then again, maybe a cup of hot coffee would work better?

Suddenly, Killua pulled in Elodea towards him, tight. Elodea squealed with laughter. "Where's the off button for this alarm clock?" He said, tickling Elodea pink.

There was cereal for breakfast. Killua cut up a banana and placed pieces into Elodea's bowl. On the counter top, Killua saw a bag of tomatoes. He placed them in the fridge, out of sight.

Elodea laughed. Holding up his spoon in front of his face.

"What's so funny?"

"I saw my reflection. It looks weird." He laughed, and continued to make silly faces reflected on his milky spoon.

Killua sat down at the round table, next to Elodea. Light shined through the window and unto Elodea's head. Killua smiled. He would have relaxed more, but he was paranoid.

He did his best to hide it though, but he'd kept looking at the front door every other second. Afraid someone unwanted may knock on the door.

No one did.

* * *

Planes and blimps soared in and out of the air tracks. The lobbies were filled with endless chatter of passengers. Those who've embarked on a journey and those who will embark on a journey.

At the airport, Killua held Elodea's hand while they were waiting on line to receive their tickets to the United States of Saherta. Killua promised that he would tell Gon all he knew about Elodea's ability which he learned from the hunter exam. He was determined to learn more about this son. Gon would hopefully fill in the rest of the details.

Onboard the airship, they shared a three row seat. Killua, Elodea, and a random business lady who was busy selling and managing her stocks on her laptop while listening to current news happening in the economy using her headphones. She was mindful not to disturb other passengers.

Killua sat in the aisle seat while Elodea was sandwiched in between him and the business lady. Elodea was preoccupied with two toy race cars he was playing with. The cars were _zooming_ and _vrooming,_ thanks to Elodeas method acting, all across the passenger seat in front of him. Killua thought this was a hundred's time better than kicking and screaming. The man in the passenger seat in front of Elodea, slumped down in his seat and placed a sleeping mask over his eyes. He was going to sleep the flight away.

 _Vroom!,_ went a high pitched sound of laughter. The man growled and slumped further in his seat.

Killua didn't need to look over his shoulder. He simply gestured to the woman next to Elodea and gave her a look saying 'do you mind looking after my son for a bit, I'll be right back.' The woman looked down at Elodea. She took off her headphones and closed her laptop. Elodea began to discuss with her the complicated mechanics of his toy cars, and how they run on chocolate milk for fuel. A source of good, clean, and delicious energy.

Killua walked down the aisle towards the end of the airship. He walked into the lounge with his hands tucked in his pockets. Hiding the gesture of him angrily gripping his fists.

When he saw the man sitting at the bar, turning around towards him. Every impulse in his body told him to walk away, the past was behind him. But he didn't. He sat down next to the man, not looking him in the eyes. The man didn't bother using zetsu to mask his presence. He wanted to be found. Killua easily sensed his aura, one he's known since he was a child. An aura he has grown to hate.

"It's been a while hasn't it, Kil. You look good." said Silva. Silva, a hulky man with white silky hair, looked at his son. It's been years since Killua has seen his family. Now that the years have gone by, Killua changed. He grew up. He looked more like his father than then he did years ago. The resemblance pained him.

"It's Coal."

"I see," Silva said, solemnly. "Your mother and I named you after our hopes and ambitions for you. A name to symbolize the legacy behind you and the one you would make for yourself."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but people change." Killua said, scornfully.

"They do." Silva gestured to a waiter to serve them drinks. When they were served, Killua still found himself next to his father. Confusion, sweeping through his heart. He hated his mother. He hated his brothers. He hated his father. But, why was he still here? What was he waiting for? "Illumi filled me in with everything that's happened in your life." He looked at Killua.

"Does he know you're here? That I'm here."

"No, he doesn't." Silva said, truthfully.

"What about mom?" The woman is a nut job, worse than the whole family combined.

Silva shook his head.

Killua held the drink in his hand, relieved. "How did you know I was here?"

"The clown told me."

' _Tss_ , _Hisoka,'_ thought Killua. Internally cursing that clown's name.

"It's a big decision to have a family. Even bigger to _raise_ a family."

Killua scoffed, "yeah, _you_ would know. You were hardly involved in our lives. The only time, maybe, that we've had a heart to heart chat was twelve years ago. Cheers," Killua held up his drink, mockingly, "to the father of the year, because you did so damn great raising us children to be fucking psychopaths. Congratulations." Killua gulped down his shot glass.

"I know that I haven't been there for you, but I gave you what you wanted. Twelve years ago, I gave you the time you needed to figure out your life. Wasn't that what you wanted?"

" _Wow_ , you're so good at reading in between the lines. Aren't you pops?"

"I gave you that freedom to grow. When I was your age, I left home. Sick and tired of being told what to do. Constantly being told how to live my life. Against Zeno's permission I ran away from home."

Killua looked up at Silva, "What did you do?"

"I wanted to see as much of the world as I could, and this time, not from the shadows. I wanted to _really_ live."

Silva recounted his travels on his own, away from his family. How for the first time in his life he wasn't constricted and chained down to rules and strictures. Killua listened attentively.

Soon, they both shared their experiences. Silva told of his trip to Yorknew, talking with the shady dealers of shops and finding a Ben's Knife to his collection. The first time he went on a roller coaster in Saherta and practically threw up afterwards. Communicating with people that he wasn't hired to kill. These new experiences were treasures to him. Killua told him of his adventures as well. His fights with the chimera ants and his trips to Kukan'yu as part of the expedition team. How he found Elodea.

The barrier between them was breaking, until Silva spoke.

"I spent one year away from home. Changed by my experiences, meeting new people, it was more than I could ever want. But unlike you," said Silva, "I returned home."

Killua rolled his eyes, defensive. The barrier was up again.

"I wasn't there for you before. But I want to be there for you now. It's time for you to come home and take your place as the rightful heir. Your younger brother Kalluto is just filling in the position until your return."

"Ah, I see, finally getting down to business. That's why you are really here. Who gives a crap about family anyway?" Killua laughed, mockingly.

Silva turned his head down in disdain, "You have to stop being so childish. Where are your priorities-

"My priorities," Killua yelled, "You don't even know me! And you're here to lecture me about my priorities. I'm happy dad! For once in my life, away from all the shit, you and mom and everyone shoved into my life. I am happy!" Killua stood up, blood pumping. His outburst silenced the room, everyone gawked at him, and then slowly the lively chatter resurfaced again.

"I'm happy that you're happy," said Silva, "I didn't just come here to talk to you about business. I also came to see my grandson." Silva said, sincerely.

Killua slowly released a breath. Relinquishing his growing hatred. "He doesn't need to see you."

Silva reached down into his bag and placed an item on the table that caught Killua by surprise. It was a delicately wrapped toy race car that was more realistic than any of the toys mass produced commercially and sold in stores. A velvet ribbon was decorated on top of the toy. It put anything made by Santa's elves to shame. The Zoldycks, by the nature of their trade, were rich and could splurge on such luxuries. "A present."

"Don't you think it's a little too late? My birthday was months ago." Killua looked at the present and thought that was something Elodea would love. If only the circumstances were different, Killua wished he could have a relationship with his father. He _wished_ thatwhen he was younger. He _thought_ there was hope, but not anymore.

Silva looked at his son, sympathetically. "As a parent, we want what's best for our children. You must understand where I am coming from, don't you?"

"I know what's best." Killua said, snarky. "I know what's best for him, and I know what's best for me." His 'family' was dead to him now.

Silva stood up, time was fleeting. It was time for him to go. "You are always welcome home, both of you are." He patted Killua's back, tenderly. A flame flickered within Killua, it's been awhile since his father showed him any signs of affections. 'If you come willingly, that is."

He quickly blew away the spark.

Silva left the bar, leaving Killua alone with the elaborately expensive toy race car. He fumbled with it in between his hands and on the return trip to his seat, he shoved the toy far down into a trash can. Covering the toy with garbage consisting of empty peanut packets, half eaten donuts and poured a generous amount of juice over the mesh to top it all off.

"Hi Daddy! Where did you go?" asked Elodea.

"Bathroom."

"I left a really important message on your seat." Elodea continued to play with his toy car. Killua found the folded up piece of paper, which was originally a wrapper to a piece of gum, on the inside it said " _Hi, love Elodea_." In really messy penmanship. In crayon.

Killua leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He would sleep the rest of the trip. He drifted in thought as the flight attendant announced on the intercom that the remaining time of the flight to Saherta was another five hours.

He held the note in his hand for the entire flight.

* * *

Silva didn't stay for the entire trip on the airship. Zeno appeared with his dragon and they took it from there. Flying back towards Kukuroo Mountain.

"That took longer than expected, Silva. How did it go with youngster?" Asked Zeno.

Silva remained silent, staring off in the sky in front of him. Clouds swiftly passing by them.

"Hmm," Zeno breathed, "that's how it goes. Young people are so stubborn, it's hard to persuade them to do what you want."

"It's his heart."

"What was that? It's hard to hear you over the air currents flowing against my withered ears."

"His heart," said Silva, irritated. "His heart is no longer with the Zoldyck family. We're dead to him, it's obvious from the look in his eyes. The way he is now. He will never come home."

"Is that so?" Zeno said, indifferent.

"Illumi better do something about this. This is getting ridiculous."

"Oh he is. Don't worry, there is still time." Zeno said, smugly. "There is still time."

* * *

Once they arrived to Saherta, Killua and Elodea exited off the ramp of the airship; carrying their luggage. Killua's expression lit up when he saw two familiar figures. They were waving towards them, holding up signs and everything, not afraid to embarrass them.

Elodea was the first one to run up to Gon and Alluka. Gon picked up Elodea as he ran into his arms. Alluka gave Elodea endless kisses.

Killua smiled, and proceeded to walk towards his family.

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you for reading chapter 15! *hugs***

 **Remember Rabbit and Miss Fox from chapter 11? They appear once more XD**

 **A lot of serious things happened in this chapter. First Killua has a dream-then-turned-to-a-nightmare horror show. Following with his encounter with his own father, Silva.**

 **Tell me what you think. I love and cherish your opinions!**

 **Thank you for reading, following, faving, and reviewing. I hope to see you all in the next chapter, because a lot of serious things are going to happen. We are getting closer to the end of part two and I am really, really, REALLY excited! Without spoilers, I can say two things about the future 1) there will be an epic history lesson and 2) Leorio will have his five minutes of fame lol. That's all I have to say.**

 **Thank you and goodbye.**


	17. Chapter 16: Beware x of the x Labyrinth

**Chapter 16: Beware x of the x Labyrinth**

Elodea ran up and jumped into Gon's arms. Elodea gushed about how much he missed his favorite uncle in the entire world, Gon's heart melted. Alluka gave Elodea so many kisses, he smiled as bright as the sun.

Killua, luggage and all, walked up to his sister and his best friend (now his brother in law), and smiled. "Don't I get any hugs and kisses? I'm starting to feel left out here."

Alluka, dressed in a flowy pink blouse with a long purple skirt, went over to her brother and embraced him. "I'm so happy that you could make it."

"Me too."

She sensed how tensed up he was and asked, "Is everything all right?" She gently cupped his face in her hands.

He whispered, "Nothing really." His arms wrapped around his sister, embracing the love she had to offer. "Let's talk about it later."

Gon happily walked up to Killua with his arms spread out wide and said, "Now, about that kiss." After several moments of Gon trying to break free from Killua's snake like head lock, Gon conceded and called uncle several times before he lost his breath. When the reverse happened when Gon locked Killua in an arm bar, Alluka had to step in. She held both boys by the ears, ceasing the horse play.

When they arrived at the excavation site, Killua and Elodea were in awe of the sight in front of them. They have seen pictures online of the ruins, images plastered all across the web, but they obviously didn't capture the ruins true beauty at all.

Gon placed his arm around Alluka and she held on to his, "Welcome home," he said brightly.

The Cayenne Ruins were astounding. Weathered stone buildings lay next to one another with giant statues of hand carved humans and magical beasts that guarded the entrances of temples. Some had the head of a beast and body of a human, holding a long spear, ready for combat.

Despite thousands of years of acid rain, torrential wind, blistering sun, and other harsh earthly conditions, the expressions on the statues remained undisturbed by erosion and stood triumphantly where they were carved. They looked as if they were going to pounce from their post and stop the intruders from entering the sacred ground.

Archeologists and scientists freely walked in and out of the structures, without the statues interrupting them, not even once.

Alluka and Gon gave them an exclusive tour. All expenses paid, first look at one of mankind's first civilizations to rise in the great lake called Mobius surrounded by the ominous Dark Continent. This was way better than educational television.

They stopped in front of a majestic statue. It featured a young woman with short wispy hair. One arm was placed behind her back while the other was reaching towards the sky. Alluka spoke, "When the Cayenne's first came to Mobius, and this is one of the first statues they made. It depicts the first empress. She was only sixteen years old when she reigned."

Gon added, "It was a very short reign too. The scribes recorded her as their most powerful sovereign. She only ruled for a day, though."

"Only a day? How is that possible?" said Killua, surprised.

"Well," said Gon, uncertain. He rolled up his sleeves of his green cardigan. "It wasn't even a whole day. The reason she is regarded so highly is because she guided the Cayenne's from the Dark Continent to Mobius. She was their salvation."

Killua whistled, impressed. "Sounds like a strong woman. How did she bring them over?"

"Our paleograph hunters and linguists are trying to figure that out as we speak. All we know is that they came by sea. When Caye, oh, that's her name by the way. She was such a star, they even named their civilization after her. So, when Caye guided them over to Mobius, the scribes wrote that when she first stepped foot onto the new land, mesmerized by its beauty, she gracefully fell on the ground and died."

"That's very dramatic."

"It's also the only account of her that's written."

"It sounds as if she wielded incredible nen." Said Killua, "Do you think she made a nen vow? You say that she was so powerful and to guide a large population of people all by herself. That's beyond human limitations. That could have been why she died."

"We have nothing to base that hypothesis off of. But I know right! Personally, that's what I'm trying to prove. " Said Gon, excitedly. Then he turned his head towards Alluka, "Although some people seem to think otherwise. Crushing people's hopes and dreams."

"Don't look at me like that, I told you already. I'm not saying that you are wrong, but there is no evidence supporting your hypothesis. We have to look at what we already have and work off from there."

Gon mumbled under his breath, 'yournofunjustastickinthemud.'

"I'm sorry, what was that dear?" She smiled through gritted teeth.

"Nothing my sweet, I love you." Gon and Alluka have been married for almost six years, and have worked along each other for much longer. Even though they have differing opinions, that's what makes them an excellent dynamic duo. Constantly challenging each other's theories and providing different perspectives on topics they couldn't think of themselves.

"That's what I thought you said," She kissed him, lovingly.

That and it was fun.

Next, they showed them the pyramid like structures that seemed as if they touched the sky. On top, there were large platforms with gnarled pillars and a descending staircase, leading to the foot of the pyramid. Elodea's jaw dropped when he saw the pyramid.

Gon caught on to the boy's excitement and bent down towards him. "This was a temple used by the Cayenne's to worship their gods. See the engravings on the walls," Gon pointed. "These indicated their adoration towards them, they worshipped them when the sun was high in the sky for their crops, when it rained when there were droughts, and victories claimed from battles."

Elodea gazed up at the top of the structure and wondered, "What is that platform at the top of the building for?"

"Excellent question." Gon leaned in and said, "That's where the high priests performed human sacrifices. Every generation on the sixteenth birthday of the first born of the first empress Caye, a sacrifice is made to the gods for continued prosperity. They were called _Cayenne's Children_ , their sole purpose in life was destined to be a sacrifice. Oooooh-scaaaarrry." So some reason, Gon had a flashlight illuminating his face, dramatically.

Elodea shivered, all color flushed away from his face.

Gon was bonked on the head by his lovely wife. "Don't scare him like that." Alluka then calmed down Elodea, telling him how these rituals no longer exist today, seldom at best. Gon was face first in the dirt, and mumbled conspicuously.

"Why don't we end the tour? You guys just got here, and we don't want to overwhelm you all in one day," he said, tasting gravel.

Elodea bent down and gently patted his poor uncle on the head. He was obviously having a rough day. Married life was tough.

* * *

When it was dark and the fireflies lit up the night. Killua, Alluka, Gon, and Elodea were sitting on top of picnic blanket, laughing away the night.

Gon and Elodea were catching as many fireflies as they could. Even though, they both had their own jars to put the bugs in, Gon kept putting his catch in Elodea's. Gon taught Elodea the secret to catching fire flies and Elodea listened attentively, soon the jar quickly became a lantern with the all the fireflies clustered in it. Elodea was captivated by its charm.

Alluka spoke, "I remember when you first brought Elodea home. You surprised all of us. We thought you were crazy."

Killua nodded, "I admit, the first few months were the hardest. I had no idea what I was doing. Changing diapers, only 2 hours a sleep a day, feeding." He laughed. "Every time when I tried to feed him, the food would go everywhere except his mouth. I learned on the job though."

"You did great though, better than our own parents." Alluka sadly smiled.

"We ended up alright, didn't we?" Killua said, reassuringly. He nudged her shoulder.

"We did."

"We should feel sad for the others that got the shorter end of the straw. They are in deep shit." The thought, that their other siblings, Illumi, Milluki, and Kalluto would never experience the joys they have, was truly a crime. Crimes which they deserved, though.

Alluka laughed. Gon and Elodea opened up the jar of fireflies and a cloud of bright light escaped from the jar. A fire fly landed on Alluka's tummy.

"You smile more now," Alluka mumbled.

"Hm? What was that?" A firefly landed on Killua's head. Alluka giggled and brushed it away.

"It couldn't have been a coincidence, you going to Kukan'yu," she smiled, "You were destined to meet Elodea, and he was destined to meet you. You two bring so much light into each other's lives."

"I like to think there are no such things as coincidences in life," Killua said. He remembered the man from the village back in Kukan'yu telling him this years ago. The father, mother, Illena, and Yanny. At first he didn't believe it, but now, he couldn't imagine what his life would be like without his son. Alluka was right, Elodea was the light of his world.

Suddenly, Alluka gagged and quickly pulled her hand up to cover her mouth. She swayed in her seat a bit, overcome with nausea.

"What's wrong?" Killua said, concerned. "Here, have some water." He gave his sister a glass of water, and she drank it willingly.

"I'm fine, I've just been feeling under the weather lately. Working overtime I guess," she smiled, faintly. She calmed down and placed a hand over her stomach. Then she looked up, surprised.

Elodea walked up to his Aunt and a mild blush colored his cheeks, rosy pink. He held a flower in the shape of a ring in his hand and handed it towards her, "When I'm older, will you marry me? Please."

Gon could made all sorts of things with flowers, with long enough stems, he could make flower crowns and bracelets. Of course, he could also make rings.

Elodea never ceased to make Alluka smile. She gladly took the flower ring and placed it on her ring finger. Her flower ring right above her wedding band. "Thank you, I will."

"You're so lucky, Elodea. You got her to say yes on the first try. The proposal is the toughest hurdle," Gon said. "She rejected me three times, before she finally said yes." It was true. Alluka did reject Gon, more like several times, before she finally said yes. She wanted to focus on her career first.

"What?" said Killua, "I thought your relationship was all bunnies and rainbows? He pointed towards Gon with his sparkling eyes. "Look how adorable he is. Who could possibly say no to his puppy dog's eyes?"

"She did!" Said Gon, "Three times."

Alluka spoke, "Actually, I think it was five, but by then I've stopped counting." Killua was laughing hysterically. Gon laid down next to Alluka, and winked.

"Well, now you're stuck with me for the rest of your days."

"I don't mind." Amongst the star crosses lovers, Elodea sat down between them.

"Gon, looks like you've got competition. You need to step up your game." Said Killua.

"Sorry uncle Gon, but love is war," said Elodea. "Thank you for making the ring."

"Your welcome and I totally understand. So, when are you two going to get married?"

Elodea shrugged, "I don't know. When I'm 13, I guess."

They talked and laughed the night away. Laying on the warm blanket underneath the stars mingling with the brilliant glow of the fire flies. A duet of luminescent lights dancing in the sky.

* * *

The next day arrived and Killua wanted to deeply discuss the events that happened at the hunter exam. Now, they were all in a different location of the Cayenne Ruin site. All around them, scientific illustrators by the dozens were sketching in field work of the artifacts being dug up in front of them.

From pottery to jewelry to skeletal remains. The tools they used were intricate and precise. They wielded them so perfectly Elodea couldn't help going to each and every scientific illustrator and watch them work. He looked at their drawings and it was as if they took a picture of the relics in front of them, despite it being all drawn by hand. Some drew the entire artifact while others focused on specific details. Amazing!

The illustrators are a very important part in the excavation team. It requires research, discipline, observation, and patience. They have to be both skilled artists and dedicated scientists to convey complex scientific information all in one picture. It was a daunting task. Not only were professionals hired, but new rookies as well, that showed exceptional promise.

Archeologists were running back and forth to Alluka, asking questions about what to do next, reviewing the new information they uncovered. Alluka was about to help a team with removing a heavy stone lid, until Gon intervened and gestured for her to sit down and take it easy. He noticed that she wasn't feeling well, and he wanted to ease her stress. Although, she blatantly told him she felt fine and was more than capable of doing things herself.

"What are they digging up?" Killua asked, curiously.

"That," said Alluka, "is the labyrinth we discussed at the conference sponsored by the Hunter Association. There are multiple entrances, twists, and turns in this labyrinth. It's crazy, we've lost several of our interns in there."

Killua's eyes widened.

"Oh, we found them all. Don't worry." The labyrinth was a tricky place to navigate, the size was infinite, the paths twist and turn in all directions. It's as if the ones who made it, wanted to stray as many people off as they possibly could. Then why make a labyrinth in the first place? Just block off everything. But.

They still wanted people to go in. Why? What secrets are hoarded underneath the stone and rubble? That's what Gon and Alluka are trying to find out.

Elodea was balancing on the edges of freshly dug holes, playing with glee. Until Killua immediately pulled him aside, "Off the edge. Now."

Elodea puffed his cheeks angrily, "I wasn't going to get hurt. I'm really careful."

"Accidents can happen whether you are careful or not. Don't be reckless."

Elodea crossed his arms, unconvinced.

Killua went to go talk with Gon and Alluka privately, while Elodea was left under the supervision of one of the illustrators.

* * *

Killua told them everything that happened during the exam. The aura that Elodea can hear, and how each and every person has a different sound, frequencies that tell a person's mood. This astounded Gon and Alluka. And According to what information they had, their hunches were correct.

"I feel like everything is coming together now. Wow." Said Killua, his hands placed behind his neck.

Gon spoke, "There might be more to Elodea's ability, than we initially think."

"What do you mean?" asked Killua. Gon placed a stone tablet on the desk. It was rectangular shape and chipped away from its original bed rock. The tablet depicted ancient runes; a language he couldn't recognize. Gon looked at Killua, seriously.

"Use Gyo."

Killua focused his aura into his eyes, staring down at the tablet. Allowing him to see beyond the limitations of the human eye. "It's encased in aura."

"What else you do notice?"

Killua stared down at the tablet. It wasn't simply shrouded with aura like normal objects, no. The aura was incredibly peculiar. It twisted and turned, constantly moving. It formed shapes then it didn't, it moved and swayed then it stayed still.

"It's their language, isn't it?"

Gon nodded, "The Cayenne's had a whole new level of communication, far advanced than any other civilization to date. They may have been primitive, but they were not unintelligent. Look around."

Killua continued using Gyo and looked at the walls around him, surrounding the runes and etched symbols, aura overflowed everywhere. The Cayenne's had secrets to keep, ones they didn't want outsiders to know. Not only did they use aura for communication, they also used it as a preservation mechanism. That's why the temples and engravings and statures are impervious to erosion. After the new found discovery of their communication, the excavators didn't know whether the information written by the scribes was true or entirely misleading.

"Past, present, and future. Rituals, rites, passages, customs, religions, languages, morals, values. All people, no matter of what time in history they are born into are connected by these roots. Every society, every culture has a story to tell," Gon's passion shined through his eyes. "It's a story that deserves to be read and preserved."

"Is Elodea capable of all of this?" asked Killua.

"It's very possible that he is." Said Alluka, "He might even be able to read it himself. We've tried ourselves to interpret what it means, but we haven't made any advancements. Most likely people with these specific inherited traits, such as Elodea, can interpret them."

"That means he'll need to know gyo, but that's an advanced technique. First he'll need to know the four major principles, wait, but he needs to learn the foundations of aura in general. Heck, he's not even properly awakened to nen! Learning nen is vigorous training. Remember what we went through, Gon." Killua said, pacing. "God, we didn't even learn it the orthodox way. Wing opened our nodes for us."

"We were impatient to learn."

"A couple of rebellious runts."

"I think he's capable of excelling at nen, imagine what he can do-

Killua cut him off. "Gon, you and I are different from Elodea. We fought, trained, and suffered. We had no choice, we were shoved into that kind of world. I don't want that for him."

"Killua," said Gon, "you can't protect Elodea from all the dangers in the world."

"Watch me," Killua barked.

Alluka spoke, "Calm down, both of you. Killua, what Gon is trying to say is that teaching Elodea these techniques will benefit him in the future, considering yours and our trade."

"Not now," Killua said. "Not when he is so innocent and loves the world. I don't want to force him to fight. I don't want him resenting me for it."

"I'm sorry, I got a little carried away," Gon said. "He just has so much potential. I know that you see it too, don't you Killua?"

Killua combed his hair with his hand and sighed, "No, you're right. He has a lot of potential." He tried to ignore this as best as he could, but he could tell that Elodea could become a skillful nen user. If his raw skills were polished, especially at an early age, there's no telling what the boy was capable of…but Killua didn't want to dictate his son's life for him. He wants Elodea to choose for himself, a blessing Killua didn't receive from his own parents. Killua even told them of what happened on the airship.

"You're not fighting this alone." Alluka said, "We'll protect him too."

"Sometimes I think you guys are too good for me."

"Yeah, we are that awesome," Gon put his arm around Killua's shoulder. "But that's what friends are for."

 _You guys are too good for me,_ thought Killua. _Thank you._

* * *

The excavators took it upon themselves to alleviate themselves of the strenuous work of digging up hard stone and chiseling rock around important hieroglyphics. They took a coffee break. Tools without owners laid unmonitored on the ground, around the entrance of the labyrinth.

The illustrator that Elodea was supervised by was extremely busy capturing the design details of a vase. The vase shown images of dolphins swimming in the ocean. It was as if you can see them splash out of the water. The artist was intricately drawing and observing these details. Elodea was looking over his shoulder, watching the drawing process, until something in the corner of his eye moved.

He turned his head, wait! No! His dad doesn't want him to do anything _careless_ or any reckless behavior that leads to _accidents._ Psh! Elodea was certainly capable of staying put in one place, focused intently on one thing. He turned his attention back to the artist.

He'll be mature. That's exactly what he thought, he'll won't pursue silly, childish antics. No Sir. Not Today.

IT'S A SALAMANDER!

The orange and blue polka dot salamander crawled in front of Elodea and quirked its head in a funny fashion. It was looking at him in the eyes! What a smart newt! Then it stood upright, almost like what people do! This was a one of a kind salamander! Excitement fizzled in the boy, like a shaken up can of soda. Elodea stepped forward, suddenly the salamander quickly slithered into the entrance of the labyrinth, hiding in the shadows.

It looked back, as if begging for the boy to follow it.

Quicker than a blink of an eye, Elodea followed the reptilian newt into the entrance of the labyrinth. The illustrator didn't even notice. Elodea, obliviously, ran into the labyrinth; the one feared by so many interns. Even though, the boy went inside looking for one thing, he will find something entirely different. Killua said he wanted to protect Elodea from all the dangers in the world.

Then where was he now? When Elodea will desperately need him.

* * *

 **Hello, thank you so much for reading. Did you enjoy that little cliffhanger?**

 **Because, I am horrible at planning things through, this chapter wasn't the EPIC History lesson. (Its the next chapter.) This chapter is really a prelude of what's to come later on in chapters 17, 18 (and maybe 19.) Then that is the end for part 2 of the story. So 3-ish chapters to go? I tried to include fluff and more background information of the Cayenne Civilization. Creating cultures and ancient civilizations is so cool! I'm having a blast XD**

 **I want to say thank you to everyone that's still here, enjoying the ride. And Thank you to the reviewers, I'm happy that you are enjoying the story! Thank you for motivating me to keep writing. I don't want to disappoint any of you. So, see you next time!**

 **Bye.**


	18. Chapter 17: Rise x of the x Cayennes pt1

**Chapter 17: Rise x of the x Cayennes (part 1)**

He was already a few steps, gleefully, running into the labyrinth that Elodea knew that something was amiss. It was pitch black! There were no light installments inside the Cayenne Ruins, the excavators have yet to accomplish that task. The poor lad couldn't even see where he was stepping! He immediately retraced his footsteps back to the entrance and picked up a flashlight that was laying, unmonitored, on the ground.

He flicked the switch on, but no light appeared. He huffed then proceeded to lightly shake the flashlight, ever so gently, as graceful as a butterfly spreading its wings across the celestial sky.

And when that didn't work, he smacked the plastic case with the palm of his hand. He gave it a good thud and Wah-lah! Light appeared!

The illustrator that was supposed to be watching Elodea, still didn't look up from his drawing and asked to the air if Elodea was still there behind him. And of course, Elodea replied sweetly saying that he was indeed and added in a compliment just in case. The illustrator was delighted, and thanked Elodea kindly; but his eyes were solely glued unto his work.

Elodea quickly swallowed his laughter then proceeded back into the labyrinth. He'll be back before anyone notices. That's right! His father won't even know about his little excursion. Hopefully, the little salamander didn't go too far ahead of him and Elodea might still be able to catch it!

In the palm of the boy's hand, light illuminated throughout the corridors, creating dense clouds of darkness surrounding him. He cast the light unto the walls, mesmerized by what he saw. Elodea leaned towards the wall to get a closer look at all the crazy runes and hieroglyphics carved into them.

He decided that he would play archeologist! All that uncle Gon and Aunt Alluka do all day is dig up stuff, and then look at it for a prolonged period of time. Elodea, decided, that he can do the same. He placed one hand on his chin and another on the decrepit wall, thinking in contemplation. Then he nodded to himself, silently and proudly. ' _Yes, yes_ ," he thought, finalizing his hypothesis. _These ruins are definitely old._ How old? _Super begillienth mega_ _really Old._ Good good.

It was hard to tell what these symbols meant. Elodea titled his head to the side and tried to make out the words. The walls were cracked and aged, making the ancient language even harder to uncover. Gosh, these people had worse penmanship than he did, and he was just learning how to write his name in a straight line. Which is tough stuff. Who ever invented lined paper was seriously out of their mind. Unbeknownst to the little scholar, the Cayenne's had a very advanced and sophisticated language of communication that far surpassed written words of other civilizations at the time. It was a language that spoke directly to the heart of its listener's through the use of aura, creating a very stylistic form of nen.

Elodea touched the wall and a shiver caressed up and down his spine. The hairs on top of this head stood up, panicked. Only to find that fresh cobwebs clung to his skin when he pulled away. His shoulders tensed and he tried to wipe away the cobwebs on his sweatshirt. His upper body leaning away in the process.

Suddenly reminded of his original pursuit, he heard the aura of the salamander and followed. The sound was getting louder, he knew he was close. But then, oddly enough, other sounds were mingling in. Elodea stopped and cast the light unto the walls and ceiling above him. They sounded like whispers, as if someone, no, people were speaking directly to him. They were ushering him to follow the path in front of him.

He entirely forgot about the salamander.

Soon he traveled further deep into the labyrinth, farther than any intern has ever gone. Guided by the sounds, they led him to a dead end, or so he thought. Two giant statues guarded an exotic chamber. The aura was telling him to go inside. Elodea stepped closer and peered at the statues. He was able to recognize one of them. It was the same woman he's seen Uncle Gon talk about before outside the ruins. It was Caye, the first empress of the Cayenne's. But the other one was strange, Elodea didn't know who this person was. It was a young man who looked strong, but he only had one arm and it was limp, falling to his side. Elodea looked back and forth between the two and could tell that the statues were slightly positioned facing each other. Just barely. As if the two were glancing at each other through the corners of their eyes.

Eyes staring, muscles carved, ready to move. There was an obvious connection between the two.

But they were sadly separated by the chamber door. So close, yet so far. Engravings were written at the base of sculptures. Elodea looked at the strange letters written under the man. He couldn't make out anything, not even a syllable.

 _Mobius._

Elodea jumped back, frightened. The aura spoke to him, loud and clear. Elodea looked back up at the statue, it didn't move. Not even an inch. Elodea breathed and tried to speak. "Is that your name?" He nervously looked down at the ancient runes then back up at the stone starving. "Your name is Mobius?"

The statue said nothing, and it has done nothing for more than a thousand of years. Cobwebs shrouded the curvatures of his gray face.

If Elodea remembered correctly, Mobius was also the name of the lake which the known world exists in inside the Dark Continent.

Elodea sheepishly nodded his head in a greeting. How was one supposed to greet a statue? Bow? Curtsey? Waves your arms in the air like you just don't care? Who knows.

The entrance was blocked, but there was a hole in the wall. First, Elodea slid the flashlight inside then got on his hands and knees. He crawled through the space then brushed off the gravel and dirt that clung to his knees.

As his eyes swept across the room, they fell upon a casket made of jade and ivory. It was a tomb.

He was immediately overtaken by the vibrations in the air. The sounds didn't come all at once, but in incriminates, one at a time; perpetually building to something even greater than the first.

Finally, it was becoming clear.

Elodea heard waves, crashing unto the coarse sand of a world he knows nothing of. The blazing sun, hidden beneath the thick, gray clouds in the sky; casting cool shade unto the land. One of the very few things that made the Dark Continent almost beautiful. Soon, he would be swept up in the adventure, the pilgrimage, the journey of how the Cayenne's arrived to the vast new world upon which they settled. And the life of their first empress. Caye.

This tomb was an open book of her tragic life. A memoir devoted to her people, her lost love, and her desire for much more than she could ever grasp.

Elodea listened attentively, to the history of the ones that came before him.

* * *

The wind shrieked.

It tousled the trees and thrashed against its branches. Sharp thorns forced to claw into their own bark, leaving behind jagged scars. Sap seething through the cut bark, revealing plump bugs. Birds with hungry eyes flew in a frenzy towards the scrumptious insects. Clawing, pecking, flapping, and cawing. They created an absolute ruckus. Normally, the bark of the trees were too tough for the birds to peck away with their own beaks, no matter how sharpened or thick. Instead, the devils with wings waited for the trees very own thorns, prompted by the wind, to pierce its own bark. When the job is done, they sweep in and gobble up as much as they could. The fastest and greediest were usually the first to fill their stomachs. Gorged from the little beasties.

These two species, the Quazal Birds and Thorn Trees have a special relationship. A symbiotic relationship to be precise. They cannot survive without each other. The birds provide their service of eating away the parasitic bugs that hatch eggs inside the bark, cleansing the tree from harm in the process. The Thorn Trees fatten up the birds by giving them a plentiful meal. Everybody's happy! (Except the bugs…)

The edge of the forest transitioned into an estuary, where the fresh water from the inland mixes in with the sea. One of the few sources of clean fresh water across the barren and dry lands of the Dark Continent. Even more so, one of the safest areas for humans to quench their undying thirst. The stronger and most fearsome beasts hunt inland, away from the sea. The weaker nen beasts thrive off the estuaries. Therefore, many tribes scavenge, live, and hunt around the water's edge.

The dark waves crashed against the rocky shore, foam dispersing onto the land then receding back into the ocean. Raking the stones and sand towards its icy embrace.

Foam splashed unto the young man's face. He was sitting, cross legged on the warm sand. He was well built, tanned by the sun, and his long black hair touched the ground. His garb wrapped all around his body, and one of his arms was tied to his waist. He looked across the tyrant ocean waters, to see the Noggin Lugging Tortoises swimming in packs along the water's edge. Giant nen beasts who carried their own ecosystems on their shell backs. Their necks reached high up into the sky and faded into the fog then into the clouds while birds circled around their necks. They were massive creatures. Not even the harsh waves could rock them in the water; they were as still as stone.

He needn't bother to turn his head. A smile formed on his lips, he heard her aura from miles away. He wasn't surprised that she followed him. He was in fact expecting it. Although he was a little disappointed that she had to take so long. "Did you get lost on your way here?" He teased.

"I didn't realize you were waiting on me," she said. "If I knew, I would have taken longer." She sat down next to him, legs crisscrossed. Her knees barely touching his.

"Mesmerized by nature's beauty?"

"Yeah, sure." She rolled her eyes, "I was just frolicking through the meadows and watching flowers bud." She wiped off blood from her arm. She ended up having an _encounter_ with a chimera ant. Apparently, stepping one foot inside its territory, means total obliteration for the intruder. The battle ended quickly when she ripped off the ant's antennas, disorienting the beast. Then she fled.

He noticed the blood on her arm, but said nothing. Among all tribes, showing any sign of weakness was taboo. "That's just a scratch." That was the closest he could say to show his concern, without coming off as fragile and weak himself. Many people whom have encounters with chimera ants, most likely, do not survive. Or flaunt the freshly ripped antennas on their head to show whose boss. He looked at her, and choked on laughter. "Caye, our future Head Chief!" He pretended to bow, "What wisdom do you have to bestow on your humble follower Mobius."

Caye pushed up from the ground, holding the antenna's on her head. Her long blue hair dangled down towards her waist. Finally, she spoke, "What does my humble follower have to offer? My wisdom is not worth that of a Quazal aimlessly pecking at the bark of a Thorn Tree. You must give me something of great value in return."

"My undying loyalty and friendship," Mobius proclaimed.

"What else?" Caye swiveled her antennae, unimpressed.

Mobius gasped, "My chief! You are as greedy as the shaman. What impossible requests are you going to throw at me? Please, do not ask for my legs or arms. You see, I am very fond of them and need them daily." The shaman is a very mysterious person. He has no allegiance with any of the tribes and isolates himself in the heart of the Dark Continent. But, he does offer assistance when asked. He doesn't turn anyone away, no matter what they may wish. He will grant that person's desire, only if they fulfill his requests. But if the requests are not fulfilled, the horrible repercussions are not only shared with the foolish wisher but also to their tribe. Therefore, it was better to deal with the problem yourself then ask for the shaman's help.

Honestly, from the stories that Caye and Mobius hear, the shaman sounds like some old hermit woven by false tales told by mothers to their children to make them behave properly _. If you are bad the shaman will curse you and the whole tribe!_ That's usually how the stories go. So basically the tribe's entire fate rested in the hands of toddlers and infants who suck on their own feet.

"All the more reason I would want them." Caye titled her head high, pompous. "When I need a spear through the heart of my enemy, you will be my hands. When I need to journey across scorching plains, you will be my legs. Do you accept my request, Mobius?"

"Yes, chief," Mobius bowed, his black hair covering his face. "Now, what do you see in my future?"

Caye closed her eyes and wiggled her antennas. "It's very foggy. Your future is unclear. AH! I see…I see…an apple in your satchel…and a girl with a very hungry stomach…" Her stomach growled louder than thunder. Mobius tossed her the freshly picked apple, and she ate it happily. "As you can see, my services are not cheap."

"You will run me dry like a river," Mobius mumbled.

"Possibly." Caye chomped on the apple, juice trickled down her pink lips. The antenna's laid down, motionless, on the sand. Once belonged to a chimera ant then to a rambunctious teenager using them as a pretend head piece. Although, it wasn't that far from the truth. Cayenne's father is the chief of the Gyri tribe, and she was the successor. When the time is right, Caye will be chief and Mobius will be her loyal follower.

But not now. Caye and Mobius were friends. They were equals. No rank would make either of them lower than the other.

Suddenly, all their happiness was sucked out of the air. Their smiles changed to grimaces and their laughter to silence. Caye dropped the apple core on the sand. She and Mobius sprinted towards cover. They hid behind a boulder and camouflaged themselves against the overgrown vines and leaves. They stared down at the beast flying down towards the sandy beach.

The unmistakable sound of its aura was enough to make their bodies tremble. Caye and Mobius quickly shrouded their aura to remain unnoticed. Caye gritted her teeth, she hated the sight of Apiums. Giant bee-like creatures with stingers that could take down an entire colony of chimera ants. The worst thing about them was their unfathomable hunger. Apiums have a taste for almost anything, but their favorite snack was two legged mammals whose only weapons are sticks with sharp rocks that can't defend themselves against saw-like stingers. Caye's own mother was devoured by an apium.

She heard the frequency of its aura, erratic. She could feel the vibrations in the air. She exhaled a breath. It crawled up against her skin and it felt as if she could grasp it. She reached out with her aura and barely grasped it. The apium stopped, under Caye's spell.

Air was being sucked from her own lungs, and the world was spinning. Controlling another creature put strain on her body. She was forced to let go and the apium was no longer under her control.

Mobius talked to Caye through his aura, telling her the apium would leave soon. Apparently, it was attracted by the sweet smell of the apple. After it fumbled with the apple core, it flew away. Probably back to its colony.

Mobius spoke, "What has the chief decided to do about the Migration?"

"I don't know," Caye groaned, "Father always follows the same strategy every year. I doubt this year will be any different. We follow the herd, the apiums follow us. Nothing changes." Every tribe, including the Gyri, follow the herd of caribou across the Dark Continent. They survived on this food source. It was time for the herd to return to the resting ground and the tribes would follow.

"Oh." Mobius sighed, "I remember I wanted to show you something. I found this creature on the beach a while ago." He leaned down and lifted up the shelter made of twigs and leaves, revealing a little white bird. Caye was surprised. She heard its aura, weak and frail. The appearance was even odder to her. The white bird was small, its bones were thin, its feathers were light, and there were no teeth in its pink beak. It even fit into the palm of Mobius's hand. This creature has no way to defend itself in this world.

Caye also noticed that the bird had a broken wing. She looked down at Mobius's limp arm, tied to his waist. He and the bird shared a familiarity. When Mobius was young, he was attacked by an apium. Luckily, the chief saved poor Mobius from being devoured alive. But his arm, from the attack, became paralyzed. Everyone viewed him differently after that, he was a walking tombstone. But not Caye, she saw how much Mobius struggled, how much he endured to be treated with respect. He trained constantly, hunted and killed the biggest creatures for the tribe. Never showing weakness.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Mobius smiled. Yet his aura sung like the gently currents of the estuary.

Caye nodded, "I've never seen anything like it before. What is it?" She gently touched the feathers. They were incredibly soft and plush. The bird flinched a little, and its aura sounded terrified. Caye changed the frequency of her aura, making it calm. Soon, the bird cooed happily.

"It's not from here." Mobius looked towards the tyrant waters, "It came from beyond the ocean."

Caye was bewildered! Land beyond the Dark Continent! And this creature was living proof that such a world did exist. She looked at the white bird fondly. "I wonder what its home is like."

"Me too."

Time passed while Caye and Mobius tended after the little bird. They adored the creature and watched it day and night. Its broken wing was healing slowly, it would be able to fly home eventually.

Caye and Mobius spent their time at the beach, chatting about the home of the mysterious bird. Imagining where it lives, what the world looks like, and what other creatures that might live there. They were building up this fantasy about a world they knew nothing of, but it consumed them. Mind and soul.

A world where they didn't have to worry about the apiums, constantly on guard, or fighting chimera ants. They talked about the possibility of settling down on land, where they needn't follow a herd. They could grow and raise their own food. It was an interesting thought, but very unconventional. They talked about what they would do in their free time, you know, not trying to hide from predators all day. Occasionally their tribe would have _sings,_ after a fruitful hunt. In a _sing_ , everyone uses the sound of their aura as instruments. Blending the sound of their own aura with nature, creating music. Caye and Mobius decided that they would have _sings_ every day, not only after a hunt.

Lying down on the sand, their body's millimeters apart, and fingers intertwining. They imaged exploring the vast unknown world, together.

* * *

When a child turns 16 years of age in the Gyri tribe, they are considered to be worthy of respect of becoming a warrior.

The sun descended onto the land and Mobius kneeled before the chief with Caye to his right. She smiled down on Mobius. The chief handed a knife to both of Mobius's parents.

His father cut the left side of Mobius's hair.

His mother cut the right side of Mobius's hair.

The knife was them handed to Caye. She would be cutting the last section behind Mobius's head, his blind spot.

Since birth, a child's hair is never cut, until the day they turn 16. Symbolically, it is a coming of age ceremony. When the child comes of age, their parent's, who cared for and guided the child as best they could, cut away their adolescence and immaturity. A close friend of the child, someone outside from the family, is chosen to cut away the blind spot behind the head. This gesture is star bound. Instilling trust in the friend who will always watch out for them and always have their back.

Caye snipped away the long, black hair as it trickled onto the floor.

The chief raised his hand, signaling Mobius to stand in front of the tribe as a new man.

As a warrior worthy of respect.

* * *

The wind roared, unobstructed, across the plain of barren land. Caye's cerulean hair tousled fiercely in the wind, stabbing her cheeks, nose and eyes. Above her, and all around, she could hear the humming of the apiums aura roaming about. Through trees. Through mountains. Through air. It buzzed loudly.

Caye looked behind her, to her people. Families huddled together, aura intensified, and adrenaline spiked. Sharpened spears, razor-edged bows and arrows at arm's length. Occasionally an apium would dart through the sky, fly in a few circles then recede back to its colony. They were putting on a show, not only to ward off other predators keen on partaking in the hunt of humans, but to instill fear in their prey.

The migration was about to begin and no one dared to look weak.

Caye, with her shoulders back and head high, walked alongside her father, chief of their tribe. He wore a head piece made from the bones of fearsome nen beasts as a helmet, signifying his status within the tribe. He was the top tier and no one outranked him. Not even the mysterious shaman.

Suddenly an orchestra of aura resented through the air. The other tribes were entering the plain. At the lead of each tribe, the chief stood in front with the respectful heir. Across the plain, Caye spotted the heir to the Sulci Tribe. He was short, stout, and had a fiery temper. Caye remembered the time when she first encountered the Sulci heir, she gave him a black eye and a bloody lip because he was trying to steal her food.

His eyes smoldered angrily as he stared down Caye.

Some people just can't let go of their grudges. Caye batted her eyelashes, innocently. Her father looked down at her, disapprovingly, sending an icy chill down her spine. This was no time to be playing games.

The chiefs of each tribe met in the plain. Even though each tribe's vocal chords vibrate differently, each tribe shares a common way of communicating with the others. Their aura.

The Migration was the only time the tribes willingly cooperated with each other. Combining their strengths and fighting against the common enemy, the apiums. They put aside their hatred, greed and pride for this goal.

There was, after all, safety in numbers.

* * *

The tribes used the thick trees and vines as cover and camouflaged their aura, matching their own with the nature around them. They were masters of the environment and stored detailed maps of the land in their minds.

Caye looked behind her and spotted Mobius with his family at the outer edge of the group. She gulped. Those on the outer edges had to be the most careful. The apiums tended to isolate the stragglers, either the people in the back of the group or on the sides.

When an apium flew down from the canopy of leaves and bared its stinger, members from different tribes immediately worked together in sync. They silenced the beast's aura with swift blows from their spears and carried on with the migration. Mobius smiled towards her. Everything was okay.

Relief washed over Caye.

Over a period of ten sun cycles, the tribes inconspicuously followed the herd. So far, losses were cut to a minimum and causalities remained just to be a handful.

Suddenly, some apiums dug underground then ascended when human's stumbled upon them. Aura roared as warriors let out battle cries. Caye's father was lifted up by an apium and tossed down to the ground like a twig.

Father!

It jabbed its stinger, but missed. Gnawing on the skull helmet worn by the chief. Crushing the bones into dust. Then its thousands of eyes looked up at Caye. Intrigued and famished.

Caye concentrated her aura. It resonated through her body, coursing through her veins. She unleashed it against the apium, gripping on to its life force.

She examined the apium hovering in front of her, slowly inching closer and closer. Then halting. It lowered its pincer and snarled. It could have skewered her by now, but it was trembling in its own body. Betraying its own primordial instincts. She listened to the hum of its aura. She could hear and count every beat. She could feel it with the tips of her fingers.

She could make the beast hers.

Or so she thought.

Her lungs longed for air, much more than shallow breaths could take in. Her limbs felt like stones, crushing against her shoulders, weighing her body down. Her head echoed like an avalanche, throbbing from each and every action, thought, and breath.

She gasped for air.

She was losing control of the apium's aura. It was retaliating, thrashing, fighting back for control. It could sense that she was losing strength, and it took advantage of her weakening state. It spread its translucent wings, ready to gain momentum, then strike.

A spear tore through its wing.

The apium's attention was diverted away from Caye. Its sights were now locked onto the one armed bearer of the weapon. It shrieked a horrible scream then leaped.

Caye's body and mind betrayed each other, as she laid helpless on the ground. Fighting to stay awake as darkness consumed her vision.

Her last glimpse of the world was the site of Mobius hopelessly defending himself, stalling the inevitable.

Vision blurred.

Sound muted.

Blood poured.

Bones shattered.

The colony of apiums hungrily flooded above the tribes in droves.

The Migration was a failure.

* * *

 **Hello! Thank you so much for reading this thousands of years ago flashback chapter!**

 **So, Caye and Mobius are finally introduced and I hope you liked some snippets of their culture and tribe. (btw the little white bird that they found is a dove, sorry if I wasn't clear)The next chapter will be part 2 and I'm positive that I really want to write a Christmas Special XD**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! Thank you so much for your feedback :D I love hearing what you guys think! I really appreciate it!**

 **It's that _wonderful_ time of the year again, finals come knocking on our doors... good luck studying! We can do it! OSU! **

**See you soon!**


	19. Chapter 18: Rise x of the x Cayennes pt2

**Chapter 18: Rise x of the x Cayennes (part 2)**

Caye awoke to the smell of incense stinging her nose.

She jumped up from her straw mat. She remembered where she was. Everything that had happened during the Migration. She had tried controlling the apium that was on the verge of crushing her father's bones to dust. She looked around, wiping the sweat that was trickling down from her brow, panic stricken.

Golden light slithered through the cracks within the woven hut. In the center of the hut, there was a hole, dug in the dirt ground that consisted of fire with burning leaves and herbs. The fire cracked and the edges of the leaves turned black and curled, slowly. Gray smoke rose and intertwined with the light.

An old woman beside Caye put her weathered hands on the girl's shoulders. She was the healer within the Gyri tribe, master of herbs and deadly toxins. Whatever the woman conjured would change a person's fate or stop it entirely. Caye winced at the touch, her body still ached. Then the woman clipped a twig with stout green leaves for Caye to chew on. It would alleviate the pain.

"What happened with the rest of the Migration?"

"Chew on this," the healer said as she handed the twig to the young girl.

"Where are the others?" Caye questioned.

The healer ignored Caye's constant pursuits. Ushering her to lie down and rest. Out of frustration, Caye grabbed the woman's wrist and squeezed tight. Her eyes as cold as the dark side of the moon.

"Tell me what happened while I was unconscious."

The woman sighed out of frustration, youth was such a troublesome thing. "The chief is alive. He ordered me to take care of you. That's all you need to know, now rest."

Unsatisfied, Caye persisted "What happened to the others?" Her voice weakened with desperation, "What happened to Mobius?"

The woman's eyes narrowed with empathy, "oh, child." She shook her head.

Morning came in like a lion as Caye sprinted out of the hut, the blistering sun blinding her vision. She ran past tribe members whose faces she remembered and those that were no longer within the tribe. The aura of the tribe was somber, quiet. The losses were in abundance. No one had to tell her that.

She listened and focused, she couldn't hear Mobius's aura. The sound of the waves, a sweet melody to her ears. Tears swelled up in her eyes, as she ran from hut to hut. They clouded her vision as she ran. Who was she going to take care of the white bird with? Who was she going to travel to the unknown world with? Who was going to laugh with her on the beach?

Her pace slowed from sprinting to running to walking. Then to a sluggish stop. Her shoulders caved downwards as her hands muffled the tears streaming down her cheeks. She was supposed to protect him, to always have his back. What kind of friend was she? A black void consumed her soul.

Suddenly, she turned her head upwards. Mumbled words escaped her lips as she began running again. She heard his aura! It was soft, barely audible, but it was there! He was alive!

She sprinted into a small hut, surprised to see her father inside with a splint around his arm. He only suffered from a minor fracture, but his aura rung of immense strength, far from showing any sign of weakness. His eyes swept towards his only daughter, and with a slight nod of his head, acknowledged her presence. Another healer kneeled down before Mobius, tending to his wounds. Many would be repulsed from the deep flesh wounds that afflicted the warrior. All along his abdomen were gashes from the apium's stinger, every breath was a fight in itself. Skin stretching from the slightest action of inhaling and exhaling of the chest. Mobius would have screamed, but his lungs wouldn't let him, silent wails consumed him. Then there was his arm. His limp arm was luckily uninjured, but that was all he had left. His other arm, was nothing more than a stub of splinted bone and frayed flesh that dangled from his shoulder.

He would no longer be able to throw a spear, wield a knife, or arch a bow. He was no longer a warrior.

Caye kneeled down before Mobius and tenderly placed her hand on his cheek. His head turned away. It pained him, knowing Caye was seeing him in this state, this horrible, wretched state. He didn't want to her to see the tears, uncontrollably, seeping through his eyes. He shut them closed, tight.

"It's only a scratch," Caye said, her voice quivering. "Shake it off."

Mobius bit his lips, wishing what she said was true.

"Remember our promise? We are going to journey to the new world, you and I. There is no one else I trust more than you do that with. Please, don't leave me."

She grabbed a hold of his free hand, soft and warm. An immense sense of guilt fell over Caye, she was the one that tried to control the apium and when she failed, it attacked Mobius. She shouldn't have tried to play the hero, she couldn't even protect her one true friend. Because of her, all of Mobius's hard work to be respected by the tribe was over. She gritted her teeth, remorsefully.

Mobius mumbled through the pain, "I'm sorry, I let you down."

Things shouldn't have to be this way. A person's future should never be pulled away from their hard earned grasp, clawing their way to the top. Struggle. Hard work. Desire. All trampled over by some unexpected detail woven into the greater part of the universe controlling one's fate. Things shouldn't be this way.

They don't have to be this way.

Caye was washed over with an epiphany. There was only one person that could help Mobius. Someone who alienated themselves away from all the tribes, and lives deep within the Dark Continent. The shaman. The mystery man that never turns away any one's wish no matter what they may be. Three requests is all that Caye needs to fulfill.

She looked down on Mobius, withering in agony. She would give anything for him.

"I'll make things better, I promise." Caye said as she kissed his forehead and left the hut. The healer looked up towards the chief and gave a questioning look whether to proceed or not. The chief nodded.

The healer trimmed the bark of the branch and grinded the berries of the deadly nightshade.

* * *

The cave was damp and cold. The rocks on the ceiling caved downwards into sharp swords. From the dark void of the space endlessly filling the cave, it looked as if one was entering the mouth of a monster, bearing its fangs. Its prey willingly relinquishing itself to its predator.

Caye ducked her head under each and every tooth of the cave. She heard the shaman's aura and proceeded with caution. Pebbles brushed against her feet as she entered the dim light of the cave. She saw the back of an old man as he was stirring a concoction with a giant ladle.

"What do you want child?" He said, not turning his head to her, "I am busy."

"Are you the shaman?" Caye asked.

The man sighed, lifted the ladle and sipped the mysterious creation. Caye couldn't see the twisted expression on the man's face, recoiling from the rancid taste of his breakfast. There was no recipe in his entire collection that did a chimera ant justice. This was the best he could do. He added a granule of sea salt and stirred.

"I am Caye, heir to the Gyri Tribe. Are you the shaman?" Caye asked again.

"I heard you the first time," he said, aggravated. "Whatever it is that you need, come back later. I have no time for a youngster's revenge complex, unrequited love, or arachnophobia fetishes. Leave me be." He turned his face around, withered and wrinkled. He wore an animal pelt around his shoulders, the head of the animal, with its mouth bearing its fangs below his neck. He added a handful of berries into the mixture, only to have a giant smoke ball explode in his face. He was coughing, tremendously.

Caye grabbed her waterskin, made of animal skin. She bent down towards the shaman and lowered the water to his mouth. He drank it happily. He slurped until the whole pouch was titled vertically upward, relishing every drop of water.

"Water from the estuary." He said fondly. "Delicious." It has been so long since he has drank clean, fresh water residing in the estuaries connecting to the ocean. He couldn't remember the last time since he's been to the water's edge. It was truly a delicacy. Then he looked into the eyes of the girl who gave him the water of her own freewill. It has been even longer since someone gave him a gift without him asking for it. He looked at the girl with the cerulean hair. "I am the shaman, of no tribe. What do you wish for?"

Her eyes animated, "During the migration, my friend was attacked by an apium and I need for you to-"

"I can do anything, but I cannot bring back the dead," he said coldly.

"No," Caye shook her head. "I need you to prevent that. He is still alive, but not for long. I need you to heal him."

"Alright." The shaman closed his eyes and said, "Are you prepared for what may be asked of you? I have no control of what my partner wishes in return for her generosity. She will ask three requests and all must be fulfilled, or no deal. Understand?"

"I have heard the stories," Caye gulped, "I am prepared for anything."

The shaman laughed, "Child of the Gryi Tribe, that's what they all say, until they realize they can't give what's asked of them. Never the less, I hope you succeed." The shaman's aura changed, a different person, no, a different entity took over the man's body. The shaman opened his eyes, pitch black. His mouth opened wide into a smile, consumed by darkness.

Caye shuddered as she looked into the shaman's eyes. There was no soul, no indication that any sign of the man was left. The creature's aura sung of childlike pleasure, yet it was chilling to the bone. Caye broke out in a blistering sweat, when it outreached its hands, one hand over the other in the shape of bowl. What will it ask of her?

"Give me your water skin." It said.

Her shoulders lowered, tension escaping her system. She didn't hesitate handing over her water skin into the creature's hands. It pulled the water skin towards its chest and breathed. A smile formed on its already upturned lips. It placed the water skin down then opened up its palms again.

"Give me your hair." It said.

Caye's eyes widened, shocked. She touched her blue hair, protectively. She was not 16 yet, and it was forbidden for anyone to cut their hair before the coming of age ceremony. She was not yet seen as a warrior of respect within the tribe. Her father would cut both her right and left side, while Mobius would cut her blind spot behind her head. But Mobius had to be alive to do so. The creature nudged its hands towards her, impatient.

Caye wielded the knife from her belt. She pulled back her hair, tight, into a single fistful and cut. She handed her long strands of hair to the creature. Its dark eyes looked at the colorful strands, admiringly.

Her head felt lighter than it ever has before, as her jagged strands of unevenly cut hair hovered over her shoulders. So far, she has successfully completed two out of the three requests. Caye gripped her fists, she can, and she will complete the last one.

The creature held out its hands, one last time. It asked, as monotonous as before, "Give me the head of the Gyri Chief."

Caye couldn't feel her own fingers. She barely opened her mouth, quivering, "I-I—ask me anything else. Please."

"Give me the head of the Gyri Chief," it asked again, as it handed her the knife. Its smile didn't cease.

"I'll give you whatever you want, whatever you want, I'll give it to you." She pleaded and bowed her head down low, touching the dirt ground.

"Give me the head of the Gyri Chief!" it screeched, thrashing its arms around, maniacally. Knocking over wooden bowls and herbs and stones in the process, throwing a tantrum.

Caye grasped the knife in her hands, shaking. She already lost her mother to the claws of a monster. Now she will lose her father, by her very own hands.

* * *

Caye held the creature's hand while walking back to her tribe. The creature's hand in her own and the knife in the other. Her aura was erratic, as she was listening to the creature mumbling, excited to get its gift. Her father's head.

Her palms were clammy and her mouth was dry. She looked back to what was once the shaman, now the black eyed, giddy creature. Surely, there was another way to heal Mobius that her father or her tribe needn't suffer for her failure.

She still held the knife, tight.

As she made her way to the tent, her mind preoccupied with that one single task of swiftfully cleaving a head off a neck. She only heard two out of the three aura's in the room, but there were still three bodies within it.

Realization overcame her like a tsunami. She dropped the knife and knelt down at Mobius's dead body. She touched his lips, small traces of juice left from the deadly nightshade. Wet and sticky on top of his ice, blue lips.

She never should have left, she should have stayed behind during his last hours. She longed to hear the sound of ocean waves, his aura, now silent. The silence ached her in every crevice of her heart. She grimaced and grinded her teeth as the tears seeped through her eyes. Her eyes were daggers as they fell upon the healer, "What have you done!?"

"He was no longer a warrior after the attack. Even he knew his fate!"

Caye looked up at her father, crying. "I was going to save him!"

"Cease your wails. You know the rules, the weak have no place in our tribe. You need to learn the same." He looked at her cut hair, disgracefully. She broke tradition. He wielded his spear towards the shaman, feverously. "Get that monster out of here immediately."

The creature, turned towards Caye, disappointedly. It wasn't going to get its gift. It closed its eyes, its dark aura dissipating in the air. When it opened its eyes, the shaman's blue pupils shined as they looked down on the girl.

"You couldn't give what she wanted," he sighed.

Caye paid no heed to him, she looked down on her lost friend, her other half. She looked to everyone around her, consumed with malice. Is this how she is supposed to live the rest of her life? Spending every waken hour, minute, second in fear. Survival as her only priority? View those around her as the weak versus the strong? And to cut times with them when they were no longer deemed useful?

She didn't want to live this way. Not here.

Aura resonated through the air as she heard the apiums hovering above her, preparing for another attack. She lifted herself off her knees, spotted Mobius's satchel, a makeshift nest for the white bird. She held the bird within her hands, gently. It stretched its wings, fully healed, ready for flight. She looked at the bird and was reminded of Mobius's kindness for the meek. The bird cooed and bobbed its head.

She walked through the aisle of dirt and stone, people of all tribes running away, preparing for battle. She didn't want to live in fear anymore. She walked, fearlessly towards the apiums, and they bared their stingers. Overcome with an immense power of aura, Caye lifted her hand gently above her head. She could feel the aura resonating in the aura. It intertwined around her fingers, each and every one of the apiums.

She didn't falter.

She didn't flinch.

She didn't lose control.

The colony of apiums flittered down towards the ground. One stopped in front of her, and lowered its wings and bulbous head. Almost bowing to her, as one would do to a queen.

Her aura reached to all the tribes, star bound. They lowered their weapons and kneeled in respect. Caye gestured with her hand and the apiums calmly moved aside, creating an open aisle for Caye and her followers. The apiums lowered their heads, under her control.

They walked towards the beach, the Noggin Luggin Tortoises in the distance. Caye, closed her eyes and breathed. She heard their aura, echoing through her ears. The tortoise's neck descended from the clouds, high above in the sky. Its eyes met with Caye's, and titled its head in respect. It let her climb on top and sit on its head. Caye waved her hand again, and the whole herd of them, swam to the shores.

Caye looked towards the tribes and her aura spoke of immense strength. Hesitation resonated throughout the tribes, until one woman of a tribe foreign to Caye's, and walked up to a Noggin Luggin Tortoise. She was young, and her stomach bulged outward beneath her garb, expecting a child. The tortoise lowered its shell, for her to cumbersomely climb on. She sat down on the green moss and vegetation growing on top of the tortoise's shell, a plentiful ecosystem large enough for an entire species of small animals to live on. The woman sat down, legs crisscrossed, with her head held up high. Waiting.

Soon after, more and more, people were climbing onto the tortoises. The gyri tribe and sulci tribe and many more. Even Caye's father and the shaman, chose to climb on board. Soon the beaches were vacated of people, only a few stragglers chose to be left back on the land. Disbelief filling their hearts.

When everyone made their decision, whether to go or stay. The wind shrieked and wisped against her freshly cut hair as Caye took one last look at her home. She saw the thorn trees beat against its own bark and the quazal birds hungrily admiring its destructive work.

Caye turned her head away in disgust.

She looked down towards the little white bird, stretching its wings, ready for flight. Finally, she let go and it soared. High in the sky. At first staggering, a little rusty away from the sky's for far to long, then it gathered its strength and flew home.

Caye and her father and tribes followed.

To a world far away from their own, never looking back.

* * *

The sun was warm.

The waves washed against the sand, gently.

The world bursted with colors.

The bird fluttered on to a lush branch and picked at ripe fruit. Caye and the others walked onto the soft white sand. Some cupped the sand within their hands and let it seep through the cracks in their hands, amazed. The first time they have ever experienced such texture. Some plucked off the red bulbs of fruit from their respective branches and sniffed the mysterious fruit. Finally, biting through the flesh, amazed with the deliciousness of the fruit, juice trickling down their mouths.

Caye heard the waves receding against the sand, and the sound reminded her of Mobius's aura. "We're here." Caye turned to her people and they all kneeled down towards her. Even her father, removed his helmet signifying his high status. He was no longer worthy of the title. Even the shaman intermingled with the people, though some shied away from him.

Her life aura was seeping through her body at an incredibly fast rate. She toppled over, her vision going blank. Then she stood up, one last time.

Caye proclaimed that they may do whatever they wish with the new world. Explore, learn, and thrive. To no longer be afraid and to live fully than they could have ever before. She looked onto this paradise and knew everything she and Mobius imagined was possible.

She only had one condition for the tribes, they may speak different languages now, but she gave them their first shared word. To call the land which they will forever live on, to be named Mobius.

Finally, with her last breath, she fell unto the soft sand and closed her eyes. Caye died, but an empress was born.

* * *

His eyes were wet.

Elodea sniffed and dabbed away his tears on his sleeve. He shined the light on the ivory and jade sarcophagus, inside containing the mummified empress. The light reflecting on the shiny stone, highlighting the engravings of the apium nen beasts kneeling before the empress. Elodea shined the light on the engraving of the white dove flying over the known world past the gentle waves. He touched the stone, and felt the ridges and bumps beneath his palm and fingertips, and whispered, "I'm sorry, Caye. I hope you and Mobius are happy now."

He shined the light on top of the sarcophagus, towards the lid which was slightly ajar. He tilted his head to the side, curiously. He positioned the flashlight between his shoulder and neck, freeing both of his hands. A quick peek at the mummy wouldn't hurt. In fact, it is his duty as a pretend archeologist to take a look at the specimen, this counts as research of course.

He grabbed ahold of the edges of the stone lid and pushed. And pushed. And pushed.

He breathed, loudly.

His body was at a forty-five degree angle, legs pushing down on the ground with all his might. This was heavy stone, and the lid didn't even budge. Not even an inch. He slumped onto the ground and sighed, heavily. His head thumped against the wall of the sarcophagus, vexed. Surely his father could open the lid, he is super strong. Elodea remembered when his father was driving in rainy weather and the car got stuck in a giant mud puddle on the side of the road. Killua didn't bother calling the fire department or the police station for assistance. No. He nonchalantly unbuckled his seat belt, opened the car door, got out, closed the car door, (he also left the heater on in the car because he didn't want Elodea to be cold, not even for a second,) walked to the back of the car and lifted the sunken wheels, with one hand, back onto the main road. Got back in the car, and carried on his way, as if he was just getting the morning newspaper, part of his every day routine.

Elodea sheepishly flexed his scrawny arm, to see if muscle, if any at all, might pop up. Nope, his arm was about the diameter of a string bean. He huffed. There was no way, he was going to be able to move the lid on his own. Oh! Maybe he could tell his aunt Alluka, she is always incredibly nice, and maybe uncle Gon too-

The back of his neck instantly burned.

Elodea flinched, and fell unto his side. His stomach facing the ground as his knees pulled up to his chest, tight. The flashlight dropped out of his hands, as he staggered to clench his neck. He held on tight as he winced. High pitched whines echoed through the stone chamber, as the flash light rolled through the room. Ceasing to stop when it hit an uplifted piece of stone from the ground.

It felt as if thousands of needles were prickling underneath his skin, each leaving a burning sensation lingering behind each sting.

His eyes were fixed closed as if trying to shut out the pain. He gritted his teeth and tried to reach the flashlight across from him, only to recoil in pain. He pulled back his arm to cover his neck again. Elodea curled into a ball, his back hunched forward, knees pulled against his chest, left to wither in agony next to the sarcophagus.

Then he heard the sound of his father's aura approaching the drawing site. Elodea widened his eyes, shocked. He had to hurry back there first, or else his father will get there first and punish him for misbehaving. For not listening to him.

Elodea sucked in a breath, and grabbed the flashlight. He bit his lips as he ran back towards the entrance of the labyrinth. He saw the artist, still hunched over his drawing and from the placid aura surrounding him, Elodea could tell that the man never realized that he left in the first place.

Elodea sprinted towards the artist, again unnoticed, but his neck still burned. He pulled up his hoodie, of his monster themed sweatshirt, and pulled it over his head. A pair of googly eyes were staring, humorously, at the back of the artist. Fabric material in the shape of triangular teeth covered Elodea's black bangs. Through the corners of its eyes, Killua emerged with Gon and Alluka. They appeared as if they had a long and lengthy conversation about a certain someone's future, but the boy paid no heed to that.

Elodea tightened the hoodie around his head, snug.

Killua came up beside Elodea and patted him on the shoulder, "You stayed in one place for this long, that's an all-time record. Congrats."

"Yup!" Elodea smiled, making sure not to move his neck too much.

"Wait a second," Killua leaned down and pointed towards his sweater. Elodea held his breath, on no, it was all over. His father knew! "This tooth is crooked." Killua's fingers brushed against Elodea's bangs as he fixed the fabric mimicking tooth of the monster hoodie.

"T-thanks."

"C'mon, let's go eat dinner," said Killua. Elodea said goodbye to the artist and walked alongside his father. Relief washed over Elodea, not getting caught by his father. Not even Gon and Alluka suspected anything. Elodea was in the clear, he should be happy, ecstatic even! Tricking everyone into believing he played the role of an innocent angel, following the rules. Having went on an adventure, uncovering ancient secrets and tombs. His neck throbbed.

But the burning pain still lingered and he was not happy.

* * *

Elodea stared down at a steaming plate of sautéed chicken with broccoli and an assortment of colorful bell peppers. A glass of whole milk sat next to his plate. Steam rose up and dissipated into the air, as he pushed a piece of chicken with his fork around the plate. He wasn't hungry, in fact, he was nauseous. Normally, he would have eaten the whole serving by now and promptly ask for seconds. But he just stared down at his plate, fork in hand. He hasn't even eaten a single bite yet.

Since Gon and Alluka live on the excavation site, there is a small complex of apartments for all the hunters and scientists to live in while they conduct their research. The apartment Gon and Alluka shared was small, but it was all they needed. An oval table filled up the dining room with a circular light socket above, filling artificial light into the room. Picture frames filled with sweet memories cascaded the walls. Some were of Gon and Alluka posing in front of different national monuments, traveling around the world while they were dating. Another one was of their wedding ceremony, being pelted with rice as they left the chapel. And on the top right corner there was a hilarious picture of Leorio and Elodea from the Christmas party years ago on Whale Island, which would probably stay on the wall for all eternity.

"Elodea, do you not like chicken?" Gon asked as he brought a pitcher of lemonade unto the dining table. He sat down next to Alluka and poured everyone a glass.

"No, I do." Elodea piped up, nervously.

Killua said, "Even though your uncle's cooking does not compare to mine, don't hurt his feelings. He has a sensitive soul."

"I'll have you know, that I can make a mean turkey for your information," spouted Gon. Suddenly Alluka laughed before drinking her glass of lemonade. What a disaster would that have been.

"What's so funny?" Gon asked as he turned to his wife. "Remember that one Christmas, I made the turkey and everybody loved it."

"Don't you mean that one Christmas you burnt the turkey and we had to order Chinese take-out."

"Wait, I didn't make that?"

Alluka laughed, "Good thing there was a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. That turkey just combusted up into flames."

Gon turned back to Killua, "I'll have you know that I can order a mean take-out."

Killua turned to Elodea and asked, "What's wrong?" Killua already finished half of his plate of Gon's cooking. He was surprisingly a very good chef. "You love peppers, they're your favorite."

Elodea looked up from his plate and meekly said, "Um, I'm just not hungry." He pushed his plate away from him.

"You're telling me, that after a five hour plane flight you're not hungry."

"Yes?" Elodea said, uncertainly. He still wore his monster hoodie, hiding his burning secret.

Killua pushed Elodea's plate back towards him, vigorously. "Eat your dinner."

"But I'm not hungry." Elodea shook his head and pushed back the plate.

"We can get this food into your body by several different ways," Killua pushed Elodea's plate towards him, "let's start with your mouth."

That gave Elodea enough incentive, nauseous and all, to chomp down on a few pieces of chicken and peppers. Around the fourth piece of chicken, his stomach couldn't hold out for much longer. The chicken was about to fly up the coop. Now. Elodea chugged down his glass of milk and that seemed to settle his stomach a bit.

"Can I be done now, please?"

Killua excused Elodea from the table. As he left, he tugged on the hood of his green sweatshirt already over his head. He sat down in the living room and turned on the television, he flipped through channel after channel, but there was nothing remotely entertaining during the late night time slots. Nothing to let him forget the increasing pain growing behind his neck. Finally, he settled for an educational program on 'animal planetarium' discussing why circus pampered elephants shouldn't be released into the wild. One reason was because the lack of brightly colored clowns would throw off the elephant's homeostasis equilibrium, causing the elephants to spiral down towards mild depression and anxiety. Also, if they were to see lions and tigers, they might be inclined to juggle with them rather than run away. Research is still being conducted on this very crucial issue.

Elodea rubbed the back of his neck. Sweat was trickling down his forehead. He was dying to take off his sweatshirt. Soon, he found himself migrating from watching television to standing in front of the refrigerator, door open, letting cool air embrace him.

"Hey Elodea," said Gon, "What are you doing?"

Elodea fumbled and immediately grabbed a can of soda, as if he was searching for it all along. To his dismay, he closed the refrigerator door and walked back into the living room.

He sat back on the couch and pretended to watch the show. Faking paying attention, intrigue, and interest. Water droplets formed on the outside of the soda can, cool to the touch.

He placed it behind his neck, hoping the pain would go away.

* * *

The next morning was atrocious.

Despite going to bed, at his very early curfew, he woke up feeling immensely tired. Dark circles decorated his eyes, and yawns escaped his mouth whenever he spoke. His arms and legs felt as if they were chained with stones. His complexion was paler. The back of his neck didn't feel any better either. It burned and itched. It was as if all his energy was being sucked out of him.

Elodea was able to construct a make-shift hideout. Well, he had to make do with what he had, foldable chairs and a bed sheet. His hideout was located in the corner of the living room, next to a book shelf full of scientific literature. Elodea grabbed a book and opened up a page. Ugh too many words in the tiniest of font known to mankind. Where are all the pictures? Do they purposely want to make people go blind? There was some weird conspiracy going on, because all of the books on the shelf were like this. He closed the book and neatly tucked it back on the shelf.

Usually his hideouts at home are more elaborate. One time, his dad helped him push the couches together to make his hideout. Elodea even brought in his electric keyboard and pretended to host an epic jam session to all his stuffed animals and action figures.

"Can I come in?" Killua asked, as he knocked on the pretend door, which in reality was a giant piece of cardboard.

"What's the password?" Elodea replied and pulled his hoodie over his head.

"I have snacks." Killua slid a bowl of popcorn into the hideout. Elodea noticed that there was extra butter on it too, his mouth watered.

"Access granted." Elodea grabbed the bowl of popcorn, the yellow butter melted and shined on top of the succulent flesh of the snack. The bowl was warm, and he could tell that the popcorn just came out of the microwave. Freshly popped and ready to eat.

Elodea's stomach churned.

The cruelest kind of torture was being handed your favorite snack and you can't even eat it.

Killua knelt down and crawled into Elodea's hideout. He looked around, impressed. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks, it comes with all the essentials, OH! And you can time travel here too."

"You don't say. Can we time travel now?"

"Hmm," Elodea sucked in his cheek, "It only works on Mondays and Wednesdays, but for you I'll make an exception."

"Ah, the perks of knowing the owner. What do we do first?"

"First, make sure you are securely fastened where you are. I don't want to lose you in a time worm hole."

"Got it." Killua nestled himself inside the house of foldable chairs and bedsheets. His feet were barely sticking out of the entrance.

"Second, close your eyes. Are you ready?"

"Never have I been more in my entire life." Killua closed his eyes.

"Okay," Elodea said, "Concentrate. Focus. You are traveling through time at a rate of 60 seconds per minute."

A smile spread across Killua's lips, "How did you get so smart?"

"I don't know," Elodea shrugged, and pulled on his hoodie again.

"You really like that sweatshirt, you haven't taken it off since we got here. I'll buy you another one when we get back."

Elodea simply nodded. He did like his monster hoodie, but for different reasons than what Killua may think.

Killua looked at the full bowl of buttered popcorn, and saw that Elodea didn't even take a bite of one piece. "Elodea, you can tell me anything. What are you upset about?"

"Nothing," Elodea said.

Killua gave him a questioning look, "I'm not going to ever know what's on your mind, if you don't tell me."

"umm, I, umm," Elodea looked down, tempted to take off his hoodie and shout out everything about what he did, how he let his dad down by not following the rules. He wants his dad to make the pain go away. And then he looked into his father's eyes and was speechless.

He looked at the soccer ball next to him and lied, "I want to play soccer with uncle Gon."

* * *

Elodea scored a goal as Gon withered in defeat. He constantly tugged on his hoodie while playing. Soon other children, who live on the excavation site with their parents, joined the game as well. Gon decided to give himself a break and walked towards Alluka and Killua.

Gon looked at Alluka and placed his arms around her shoulders, excitement resonating through his smile, "Did you tell him yet?"

"I was waiting for you," she said.

Killua laughed, "What do you want to tell me? Don't tell me you've already decided to kick us out of your apartment."

Gon shook his head, "Actually, we're hoping that you stay around longer in the future."

"I want to too, but you already know about my situation. It's best for Elodea and me to keep moving."

"We know," said Alluka, "But that might be hard for your godchild." Motherly joy radiating within her.

Killua skipped a breath, "How long?" He couldn't believe he was so oblivious to all the obvious signs.

"It's been 4 weeks for far," Alluka said, as she placed her hand tenderly over her stomach. "We don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but we're going to wait until it arrives."

Killua embraced his sister and gave Gon a hefty pat on the back, he looked at them both and knew they will make great parents.

Gon spoke, "Do you have any advice for us to expect?"

"Late night breakfasts, early morning dinners, and diaper changes around the clock. Baby's breath, happy coos, and gentle kisses. They are worth it, every ounce of energy and love that you pour into your little bundle. They are worth it, and enjoy it while you can because they grow up fast." Killua looked over to Elodea, playing with the other children.

Then he saw Elodea withdrawing from the other children. Elodea moved sluggishly towards the garbage can, back hunched over and arms tightly clenched around his stomach, but he didn't make it there fast enough.

The boy vomited whatever little food resided in his stomach, after that came bile. Burning the way up his esophagus, and his mouth. His legs wobbled, until they completely gave out.

Elodea collapsed onto the ground.

The world turned into a massive blur. It seemed as if time kept skipping for him. Soon he was in his father's arms. Killua was shouting and speaking something to Elodea, but only muffled sounds fell onto the boy's ears. Elodea closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes, as a shining light skewed his vision. It was a doctor speaking unknown words to his father, who looked very distressed. Elodea turned his head, as the world pulsated around him. He saw his aunt and uncle holding his hand. Elodea closed his eyes again, and this time, he didn't open them. He was caught in a twister of a scorching fever.

The doctors performed a series of tests on the boy. They examined the back of his neck, sweltering red. They performed the Kernigs test and Brudzinski test, to see if the child had meningitis. A common disease in babies and children, and if they could diagnose the child early with the disease, whether it is bacterial or viral. The doctors would know how to treat him properly or quarantine him.

Dr. Andrew Yun just finished his internship in pediatrics and this was his first case to handle in the big hospital on his own. He was nervous, yet excited at the same time. He was eager to get to his first patient. He deduced the child's symptoms included a high fever, stiff neck, and a headache. Obvious signs of meningitis. But when he straightened the boy's legs, they extended fully without any sign of stiffness. Elodea performed negative for the Kernigs test. Then Dr. Yun carefully elevated Elodea's head and neck forward, to his chest. Elodea's knees didn't pop up and performed negative for the Brudzinski test.

Dr. Yun was stomped. Instead he prescribed Elodea with antibiotics to take twice a day for a week, and that he should come in one week's time for a follow up exam.

But Killua knew that after a few days of treatment and Elodea's fever and neck pain progressing, there was only one person he trusted enough and knew that could help his son.

And that person is Dr. Leorio Paladiknight, MD.

* * *

 **HELLO! OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! I was really happy to get to this point in the story.**

 **I was so happy to read your reviews, thank you so much! Some of you already guessed that Alluka is pregnant, AH! I was like 'omg they already know!' and you know what that means...a new OC will arrive soon! AGHGHGHGH!**

 **And the shaman, a very important figure which will tie in later in the story, I'm just so happy that you all pick up on these details, I'm overwhelmed with joy! And the history on how the cayennes arrived to the new world! Thank you so much!**

 **What did you think about the chapter? I kind of think that Elodea's predicament overshadowed Alluka's pregnancy, oops. What do you think is wrong with Elodea and will Leorio be able to do anything?**

 **OHHHHHH! I was reading this awesome fanfic called "Poisoned Amaryllis," by Kigamin. And its so flipping good XD XD XD XD Now I can read more since finals are over ( and my soul is free) but I still have another one on Monday...ugh...*digging a grave for myself* I swear I was writing an essay today then nearing the end, my hand starts cramping up, i'm like "I ONLY NEED THREE MORE WORDS!"**

 **So how was your day?**

 **Thank you so much for reading, faving, following and reviewing! It means the world to me and see you next time!**

 **Bye!**


	20. Christmas Special

**Why hello fellow hunter fans! I bring you good tidings! Way back in chapter 12 ,I mentioned that once upon a time ago, Elodea did not like Leorio. This my sweets, is that story.**

 **Enjoy and merry reading!**

* * *

 **Christmas Special**

A blanket of white snow covered Whale Island. Ice scattered across the stagnant waters, as the plump seagulls huddled together on the sandy beaches.

The fish markets were closed and so were the ports. Boats were docked and the piers were empty. All commercial travel boats to the island were cancelled due to the festive season. If anyone wanted to venture to the island, they would personally have to take the matter into their own hands.

That's precisely what Leorio did.

Luckily, he was able to pay a fisherman to take him to the island, who was already out on the water, setting up his lobster traps.

Frost bit onto Leorio's nose as he stood on the front steps of Aunt Mito's home. He thumped his leather shoes against the door mat, snow crumbled off each shoe. He was determined to get every last speck off. He had to look presentable. In Leorio's right hand he held his briefcase. Full of patient's files and charts that he still had to review and sign off of. He was a busy doctor after all, even on the holidays. In his left hand, he tugged on with glee, was a beautifully wrapped Christmas present. Wrapped with glossy red paper and topped off with a sparkly green ribbon.

He exhaled, a white cloud escaping his lips. He tried to fix his glasses, that were coming down his nose, using the back of his left hand, still holding the gift with care. Leorio looked down at the present, it was a little tikes super tricycle, perfect for toddlers who discovered the new-found joy of running around, discovering the world wherever their little legs could take them. Apparently, it was the hottest toy on the market and he had to wait 8 hours in line at the toy store to get one before they sold out.

Leorio gulped, he was nervous but also excited. This would be his first time meeting Elodea, Killua's adopted son. And he wanted to make a good impression, as best as he could. He rang the doorbell, adamantly.

He was greeted by Gon, who was wearing the tackiest Christmas sweater known to mankind with a pair of felt antlers on his head with jingle bells. The guy was a walking Christmas card. "You made it!" Gon exclaimed, "We were worried you wouldn't show up since all the ports are closed."

Leorio laughed, jubilantly, "Nothing is impossible with a bit of Christmas magic."

"Wow, really? Who did you get a ride from?"

"I think it was from old man Herbshire."

"You had to bribe him, right?"

"Magnificently."

Gon laughed, "He never says no to 100 Jenny."

"100?" Leorio questioned, "he made me pay 150. Gon, talk to him for me. He's getting greedy."

"Will do." Gon took Leorio's coat and shoved it in the closet like all the others. He had to give it an extra push so nothing would fall out. "You made it just in time, we were just about to go pick out a tree."

The scent of cinnamon and peppermint filled the house.

Leorio looked around to see his family and friends. Gon was hanging up stockings over the fire place, with names handwoven into each stocking. Alluka was also wearing a tacky Christmas sweater, matching Gon's. Kurapika was talking with Aunt Mito and from his enthusiastic gestures, he was consumed in the conversation. Then he looked over to the couch and saw his favorite brat in the world sitting on it.

Killua was sitting on the couch and there was a new face he didn't recognize. The little boy was sitting on Killua's lap. His cheeks were a rosy red and his eyes sparkled like snowflakes. To Leorio's knowledge, Elodea was one and a half years old.

Elodea looked over to Leorio. His purple eyes cascading the man from top to bottom, but then quickly turned his head back to his father. Elodea giggled and placed his small hands over Killua's eyes, resuming their fun game.

"Where are you?" Killua said, playfully. Elodea removed his hands in towards his chest and squealed when his father gave a surprised looking face, "There you are!"

Elodea giggled, brightly. He laid his head down on his father's chest when the unknown man started to approach them. Elodea gripped his father's shirt, tight.

"So, you've finally decided to show up," said Killua, "good to see you again."

"Merry Christmas to you too, mister Grinch."

Killua looked down towards Elodea, "I'm a mean one aren't I."

Elodea nodded his head.

Killua gasped, "You think I'm mean?"

Elodea nodded his head again, enthusiastically.

"But you still love me. Can you give daddy a kiss?" Killua said. Elodea babbled some incomprehensible sounds and gave a kiss.

Leorio leaned down, looking Elodea in the eyes, "Hi Elodea. I'm so happy to finally meet you, I'm uncle Leorio." He smiled a goofy grin.

Elodea stayed silent as he eyed the man.

Leorio gulped, but he didn't waver. He pulled out the beautifully wrapped present and held it in front of Elodea. "On my way here, I ran into Santa Claus and he told me to give this present to you." Leorio smiled and pretended to examine the gift, weighing it of its contents, "This present looks really big, so you're definitely on the nice list."

Elodea didn't reach towards the gift, hands clutched in front of him, unmoving.

Killua intervened, "Wow, a gift from Santa Claus! Elodea what do you say to Leorio for giving you such a nice gift, 'thank you.'"

Elodea turned his head to the side. Letting Leorio view the back of his head of black hair.

Disappointment trickled down Leorio, as Killua tried to get Elodea to say 'thank you.' Elodea turned his head back towards leorio, and said, "Bye-bye." Then flinched, and borrowed his head and clouding his vision in Killua's chest. If he couldn't see the man, surely, he would go away.

"I'm sorry," said Killua, "he gets shy around new people."

"He wasn't shy with me," Gon spouted in the background. Leorio narrowed his eyes towards him.

Instead Leorio laughed and rubbed the back of his head, "Nah, it's okay. I would be shy around me too."

So much for first impressions.

* * *

Leorio sat at the kitchen table and bit the head off a gingerbread man cookie. Crumb's fell onto a patient's chart he was currently reading as he scribbled down his signature. He looked across the table, eyeing Kurapika who was reading some sort of article on his ipad.

"Put that down or you're going to strain your vision."

Kurapika barely looked up, but spoke nonetheless, "If you told that to everyone you wouldn't have any patients left."

"oh, true. But a person's health is more important to me than how busy my practice is."

Kurapika smiled, and put down his ipad, "I bet, you're the only goodhearted physician in your hospital."

"W-well, I wouldn't say that," Leorio said, embarrassed. He rubbed the back of back of his head, bashfully with his pen. "Anyway, why don't you go in the living room with everyone else, laughing and drinking eggnog. Its gloomy in here, just me doing my paperwork."

"I'd figured you could use the company."

"I'm not a little kid," Leorio puffed his cheeks.

"Really?" He laughed, "You don't think otherwise?"

"Absolutely," Leorio said, seriously, "now go to the fridge and pour me a glass of milk. I need to wash these cookies down." He coughed and rubbed his throat.

Kurapika set a clear glass down next to Leorio and poured, "Do you want a straw with that?"

"har har har, very funny." Leorio gulped down the milk in one swoop. Leaving residue of a milk mustache above his lips. Kurapika pointed out the mess and handed him a napkin.

While everyone was laughing around the fire place, Elodea was busy bouncing around and hopping between person to person. He walked on Gon's legs, tapping everyone kness, and jumped on Alluka's back until finally he scurried into the kitchen.

His eyes locked unto a glorious site on the kitchen table, a plate full of gingerbread cookies! Each covered with frosting and gum drop buttons of various colors. The sugar sparkling under the light. He ran up to the kitchen table and reached out his arms, above his head. He jumped up and up, but he couldn't reach the plate of cookies. Then his little eyes saw that a cloth was placed underneath the glass plate, and that he could reach.

He grabbed unto the cloth and pulled and the plate slowly moved closer to the table's edge.

When Leorio's stomach grumbled, reaching for another cookie. His eyes widened, as he dropped his pen and quickly grabbed the plate before it fell off the kitchen table, unto the toddler. Leorio sighed, relieved.

Elodea stepped back, uncertainly.

"Oh, did you want one?" Leorio looked at the platter of cookies and grabbed one, "here, take it."

Elodea stepped back and grabbed the ends of his shirt and frowned. 'Bye-bye!" he shouted.

"What?' Leorio questioned, confused. He tried to hand Elodea the cookie again. Finally, Elodea ran underneath the kitchen table and hid behind Kurapika. "But, doesn't he want a cookie?"

Kurapika simply shrugged and picked up Elodea, who looked like a dear in headlights. He handed the toddler a cookie and from the smile spreading across his little lips, Elodea accepted it gladly.

Leorio's jaw dropped as Kurapika and Elodea exited the kitchen. But especially at the fact that Elodea stuck out his tongue at him.

And no one saw. As it was solely meant for Leorio.

* * *

Gon was caught underneath the mistletoe by his three favorite ladies. Mito. Alluka. And Granny. Granny Freecs gave him the longest kiss on the cheek and Gon was left with lipstick smears all over his face. He could die a happy man.

When it was finally done to pick out a Christmas tree, everyone wrapped with their thick coats and scarves, entered the forest, searching for what could be the perfect tree.

Snow flurries topped off everyone's heads and shoulders. Elodea wore a knit hat with a puffy jacket, with his gingerbread man cookie in his pocket. Snowflakes danced and twirled through the air, while one settled on the tip of Elodea's nose. He wrinkled his nose at the cold touch and sneezed.

Killua lied down in the snow and spread his arms and legs out, "Elodea, this is how you make a snow angel."

Elodea slowly knelt in the snow, covering his legs and knees. A smile erupted on his face, waving his arms around, but instead of a snow angel, he made more of an oddly shaped circle.

"Elodea, watch me," said Leorio. Partaking in the fun festivities, he plopped down, creating a puff ball of snow scattering in the air. Then he got up, marveling at an excellent job he did. When he turned to Elodea, he was nowhere else but standing alongside Killua, hiding in his shadow.

Alluka picked out the perfect tree to be placed in the living room, but Elodea set his sights on a small broken branch with a few pine needles and a baby pinecone. It was perfect. He pranced around with his 'tree' and showed it to Killua, merrily.

"Can I see?" Leorio smiled to Elodea. But the little tike only scurried away.

He made sure to stay several feet away from Leorio, that man was persistent, he kept following him around and trying to take his tree away from him! How dare he!

* * *

"Da-da!" Elodea shouted.

Killua slouched in his seat, back hunched low against the wooden back of the chair. Elodea fumbled in his big adult chair, sitting on top of a soft, fluffy pillow. He leaned back against his chair and slouched his shoulders. Then Killua sat up straight with his chin held up high, and laughed when Elodea mimicked him again.

Everyone was sitting at the dining room table, dinner was about to be served. But due to some inconveniences, such as the turkey going up in flames and smoke escaping through the kitchen door, dinner will have to be postponed at a later time. Gon popped his head through the door, wearing his 'kiss the chef' apron, holding the fire extinguisher, assuring everyone that they will have the meal of a lifetime. Until Mito screamed, because the turkey combusted back into scorching flames, if that was even possible.

Luckily the Chinese restaurant down town was still open. Serving pecking duck, spring rolls and fried rice and an assortment of other foods for family and friends who burned the turkey. It happens.

Gon struggled to put on his boots and jacket on at the same time, in a hurry to go to pick up Christmas dinner. Elodea cumbersomely waved his hand and held his gingerbread cookie in the other. He happily shouted 'bye-bye,' as Gon left.

Even though the roast was burnt to a crisp with the texture of concrete and had the taste of soot, there was a bowl of jelly in the refrigerator, ready to eat. Alluka passed everyone a cup of red jelly.

"Hi!" Elodea said as Alluka handed him a bowl of Jelly. Killua fed Elodea spoonsful of jelly, until Elodea wanted to give it a try himself. He held the spoon and dug it into the gooey body of jelly. Struggling to lift it from the bowl. Then he pointed the jiggling goo towards Killua. Killua complied and opened his mouth. Elodea squealed when Killua ate it in one gulp.

"El-o-de-a," sung Leorio as he opened his mouth.

Elodea simply said 'bye-bye' to the fool and fed another spoonful of jelly to Killua.

"That's strange," said Killua. Wiping away blotches of jelly that got all over his lips and cheeks from Elodea's amateur utensil skills. "He only says 'bye-bye' to people who are leaving or," the reasoning clicked in Killua's mind, "he wants them to go away."

Killua immediately burst into laughter.

"IS THAT TRUE!?" Leorio asked, baffled.

Killua continued to laugh, and Leorio took that as a blatant yes. Then he turned to Elodea, with determination encased in his eyes. "I solemnly swear, no matter how long it takes. You will like me."

"Bye-bye."

* * *

After a delicious dinner of juicy pecking duck glazed with a savory sauce and stir fried vegetables, everyone relaxed, content on being a lazy cat. Mito brought in a giant basket full of red holly berries. Each small berry was a brilliant red, some were still attached to their respective branches, green leaves with spiky edges decorated the branches.

Gon's eyes lit up as he and everyone else took plenty of berries into their hands. It was a tradition, every year at Christmas time to place the red berries on the bases of windowsills, doors, and any cracks in the walls to ward off winter. So the cold wind won't seep through the cracks and freeze all who live in it. It's also a 'go away, winter isn't welcome in this household!' kind of tradition. The red berries are notorious to be resistant to winter on whale island. Father Winter may blow the coldest winds and blizzards and snow storms across the island, but they do not affect the berries. Oh no no no. Their plump skin stays the same magnificent red and tough consistency way after the winter season. It was a sort of good luck, in hopes to stay extra warm during the bitter cold season.

While many, did indeed, place the berries at the doors and windows and chimney and cracks in the walls. Leorio found plenty of berries in his leather patent shoes. He looked over to Elodea, who scurried away as fast as he could. Killua sucked in his laughter as hard as he could.

When it was time for Elodea to have a diaper change, Killua exited with Elodea into an upstairs bedroom. Leorio instantly had an idea when he saw Gon with a Santa suit in hand. He walked up to him, vigorously.

Gon gushed, "Elodea is going to be so surprised to see Santa."

"Gon, let me dress up as Santa Clause."

"But I want to do it," Gon pouted with his puppy dog eyes. He was already wearing the infamous white, long beard.

"Please, you just have to let me do it. It's the only option I have left for Elodea to take a liking to me. Right now, he hates me."

"He doesn't hate you."

Leorio lifted up his shoes, stuffed with holly berries.

"Wow, he really hates you." Gon handed him the suit, beard, and giant pillow for a jolly belly to complete the whole package, "With this you can't fail, you can do it."

"Thank you!"

* * *

"Merry Christmas!" Leorio, I mean, Santa Clause said as he entered the room, shaking his grand belly.

Killua put Elodea on Santa's lap, but Elodea unhappily whined as he continued to grab unto Killua, holding on for dear life. Finally, it was just him and Santa. Him and Santa.

Him and Leorio.

"Have you've been a good little boy this year?" Leorio asked. "What would you like for Christmas?"

Elodea's face started to scrunch up, turning red, a visible frown plastered on his cherub face. His sniffles quickly turned to wails, as tears trickled down his cheeks, profusely.

Another failed attempt.

* * *

It was almost bed time and Elodea was giggling and running around in his pajamas. He was wearing a cute little onesie, with an image of Rudolf the red nosed reindeer in the front with its shining nose and its tail in the back. He was still holding his gingerbread man in his hand, refusing to let go of it the entire night.

Leorio sat at the kitchen table, disheveled in his Santa Suit and chugged down a mug of hot chocolate. He slid the mug, with the words 'candy land' plastered on it, across the counter towards Gon, "Give me another one," he said, "extra whipped cream."

"Rough day," Gon said as he prepared another batch of fresh cocoa. He shook the can of whipped cream, perfectly laying a more than generous amount into the mug. Leorio needed it.

Once again, he gulped down the drink, with whipped cream decorating his lips, "that hits the spot." He hiccupped a bit.

"You shouldn't drown your sorrows in chocolate delicacies," Kurapika said, reading something on his ipad, "it's bad for your teeth."

"It's only once a year," Leorio said, bitterly. "I've tried, and tried, and tried again. Let's face it. The kid hates me to the bone." Leorio leaned his head down into his arms, sobbing. A combination of tears, cocoa and disappointment. Bitterly sweet.

Killua patted Leorio's back, "C'mon, don't let it get to you. Today was his first day ever meeting you. He'll warm up to you eventually. I mean, take Kurapika for instance. The same thing happened to him."

Leorio looked up, "really? Kurapika is it true?" Killua gave a look to the blonde man, suggesting that he run along with the conversation.

"ugh," Kurapika stuttered. "Sure."

Leorio thumped his head against his arms on the table. All he wanted was to be a great uncle. To make Elodea smile. Make him laugh. But, maybe he just wasn't capable of doing any of those things?

Suddenly a cry resonated through the room. Everyone turned around to see Elodea with his face against the ground. He fell. Killua immediately sprang up from his seat and picked up Elodea, who was crying. Killua tried to soothe the toddler, but Elodea was looking down and his arms were reaching towards the ground. Everyone's eyes followed to see that his gingerbread man was crumbled beneath the shock of the fall. Its leg broke off and it lost its gumdrop button! Oh no! Not the gumdrop button!

Leorio jumped up from his seat and wiped away the whipped cream on his lips. He knows what he must do! He picked up the patient and its scattered remains and brought them to the kitchen table. He pushed away his diabetic patient's charts, they'll have to wait for another day.

This patient was in critical condition.

He pulled the nearest lamp close to the cookie and spoke, "we need frosting, ASAP."

Leorio opened his briefcase, displacing an elaborate setup of flasks, vials, and an assortment of tools. But he needed more. He opened the pantry to gather what he needed for the operation. Baking sheets, pastry bags with tips, and brushes.

"White chocolate!" said Leorio with his hand held out, open. Gon handed him the item and suddenly turned into the designated nurse for the operation. Soon after the chocolate, came the frosting. Sweat trickled down Leorio's brow, concentrated with his task of placing a new gumdrop back into place. Elodea was being held in Killua's arms, but he couldn't help looking over the process, intrigued.

"Leorio, are you sure that you can do this?" questioned Killua.

"I relentlessly studied, knocking my brains out to ace the MCAT examination. I've been through four rigorous years of medical school, internships and rotations around the clock. I've performed countless surgeries and succeeded against the lowest of odds. This is the moment I've been striving for!"

Finally, it was done. After the operation, the patient was left to recuperate. Leorio said with soft and gentle eyes, "Are you ready to see your friend?"

Elodea sheepishly nodded.

Leorio brought out the tray with the fully recovered gingerbread man. Its leg was attached and Leorio even added a cute splint for the cookie, and a brand-new gumdrop button.

Elodea's eyes lit up like the star on top of a Christmas tree. His hands reached out towards the cookie and grabbed it happily. A smile was tugging on his lips, from ear to ear.

Soon Elodea yawned and rested his head on Killua's shoulder. It was time to go to sleep and dream of sugar plums and pixies.

* * *

The next morning, Christmas arrived.

A fresh blanket of snow covered the island and laugher filled the entire Freec's house. Gifts were exchanged and wrapping paper was torn. As various gifts were unraveled, ranging from shampoo to plushies to socks.

Killua helped Elodea open his gift from Leorio. But it seemed that Elodea was more entertained and swept up in the joy of wrapping paper and ribbons and bows than the actual gift itself. Nevertheless, Killua thanked Leorio for his generosity.

After breakfast, everyone prepared and dressed up to go to chapel. Leorio looked in the mirror and straightened his tie until something or someone tugged on the hem of his pants. He looked down to see a head of black hair, purple eyes, and a radiant smile.

Elodea looked up towards Leorio and said, "Hi."

Tears were practically brimming in Leorio's eyes. The happy kind. He scooped up Elodea and placed him on his shoulder. "It's a Christmas Miracle!" Leorio shouted from the top of his lungs, while everyone else cheered him on.

It may have been a rocky start, but it was the start of a beautiful friendship.

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

* * *

 **HI! Thank you so much for reading! I really hope you liked this little chapter! Baby Elodea is my favorite, he can be such a rascal XD**

 **I was going to make Killua dress up as Santa, but then I realized he would have been a really hot one...so no...**

 **Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah. I hope you relax, have fun, and have a happy and healthy new year.**

 **The next update will be chapter 19/ the end of part 2 of the story, preceding onto part 3 ( I will discuss the layout/plans for the entire story in the next chapter.) Thank you so much for reading, faving, following, reviewing! Thank you for loving Elodea and showing him kindness! It means the world to me!**

 **See you next time!**


	21. Chapter 19: Every x Second x Counts

**Chapter 19: Every x Second x Counts**

Leorio tossed and turned in bed.

His pillow was lumpy. There were creases in his blanket. And the springs in his mattress didn't make his sleep any better. It was currently 2 AM in the morning and he has yet to begun a restful slumber. He already had a very rough day at the hospital. Dr. Leorio ended up being assigned with two nurses that hated his guts during his surgeries today. They talked, obnoxiously, while he operated on the patient and wouldn't shut up no matter how many times he told them to silence themselves. They rolled their eyes whenever he gave them orders and mocked him behind his back. But it was worth it to see the smiles on the parents' faces when they saw their child coming out of the emergency after a successful surgery.

He gave his pillow a few whacks. Then rested his head down, peacefully. And yawned.

His room was a mess. A horrible, atrocious mess. The shelves were stuffed with books, papers, shaving cream bottles, floss, _used_ pieces of floss. Shirts, pants, scrubs, and ties were everywhere. Oh, the plethora of ties that hung among the doors, chairs, desks, and anything else that remotely resembled a hanger. You'd be surprised what could suffice. If you could find an empty patch of wooden floor, then bless your soul. Most likely it will be hidden, forgotten, and forever lost underneath more clothing consisting of dirty socks and t-shirts within the next 24 hours. So, cherish it while you can.

On his bed stand laid his yellow circular spectacles, which he's grown fond of over the years. A pair which he will never replace. Next was a group photo of him, Killua, Gon, Alluka, Kurapika, and Elodea at the amusement park in Saherta. (Known for their crazy and out of this world roller coasters) Elodea was standing in the foreground and jumped up in the air when the photo was taken. But when he jumped up he accidentally knocked over the ice slushy Leorio was holding. His suit was stained a cherry pink red.

Next was his cell phone, which was set not on off, but on. Leorio always had patients who call him in the middle of the night. Sometimes his calls would go like this:

' _Doctor Paladinight, sorry for calling you at 3 AM in the morning. I'm not bothering you am I?'_

' _Of course not,' Leorio would not-so-bitterly reply. He would roll out of bed, trying desperately to open his crusty eyes, unnecessarily pulling the tangled knots out of his shoulders, something would pop, but he'd ignore it and say, 'I was already awake.' He'd yawn, loudly._

' _Well Doc, I'm facing a dilemma."_

" _Okay, what is it?"_

' _There's an eyelash stuck in my eye.'_

 _Oh god._

Of course, not all his calls are like that. Not at all. But, he always must stay alert whenever a patient tells him their symptoms. Another time, he'd had a patient who called him that was exhibiting symptoms of a silent heart attack. He must stay at the top of his game, even in the comfort of his own home, just in case a situation can turn into one as ghastly as life and death.

The phone rang.

Leorio cumbersomely lifted his arm from beneath the covers, knocking over his alarm clock in the process. It tumbled and landed on a pile of cloths, cushioning its landing. He grabbed the phone and accepted the call, and brought it to his ear as he in lay in the solace of his sheets. There was no need to get up, right? He could chat with the patient while resting in bed. He'll multitask. Why not.

As the receiver on the line spoke to him, in a deeply upset and distraught manner. Leorio's eyes shot open. He found himself jumping out of bed. Haphazardly, scrambling to get dressed. Searching for socks and shoes, that mostly likely didn't match. But, there was no time.

Correction, he had no time.

For there was a little boy in the country of Saherta who needed him.

Leorio slammed on his glasses and called for an emergency helicopter to take him to the United States of Saherta, he needed to see his patient as soon as possible. A perk of being a doctor, especially one that belongs to the infamous hunter association.

Every second counts. A lesson that every doctor learns, far too well.

* * *

The room was coated in darkness and a cold bag of ice dripping on his forehead. Elodea was sweltering hot.

Elodea was sweating profusely, showing signs that his fever was starting to break. It's the body's cooling system that shows the infection is subsiding. A good sign, but Elodea wasn't healing. He was pale, a ghost of his past self. He was laying on his back, gasping for air. He barely had the energy to breath, compressing his abdomen and inhaling air. He'd choke then cough after a few struggles then relax.

He minimally turned his head to the side, which was all that he could manage, and looked down towards his hands.

And tried to move them. Tried.

Just like the rest of his body, his hands were stiff. He could barely open and close them. It felt as if his joints were locked in place. And his skin refused to stretch. All he could manage was a wiggle of his thumb and of his pinky.

Killua sat, silently, next to Elodea's bedside. Ever since Elodea was deemed bedridden, he'd refused to leave his son's side. Dark circles lingered under his eyes as he looked down on his son, empathetically. He was holding a cool glass of water with ice cubes that clicked against the glass. Elodea sluggishly looked towards the glass. His lips were dry.

Killua gently hooked his arm around Elodea's back, covered in sweat, and propped him up. Elodea couldn't sit up on his own, it was too strenuous. He was leaning against Killua's shoulder, already out of breath. "Take a sip of this."

Elodea clamped his lips shut.

Killua brought up the glass to Elodea's lips, but they still stayed close. "You need to stay hydrated."

"I can't," Elodea mumbled. Despite his words, he was extremely parched. The thought of indulging in a glass of ice cold water to relieve his pain was paradise. But he knew, as it happened whenever he tried to eat or drink, he would only regurgitate the contents in his stomach, rather unpleasantly. His stomach burned, acid traveling up his esophagus and the acid lingered in his mouth. Leaving behind a foul taste. It wasn't an experience he wanted to relive again.

"Please drink something," Killua pleaded.

Elodea was able to drink half a glass of water. Only to find out later that his stomach protested against the liquid. Good thing there was a towel next him. He needed it.

Elodea looked up towards his father. Desperately wanting him to take away the pain. To make him feel better again. "Daddy?"

"Yes, what is it? What do you need?" Killua said, holding Elodea's hand. More than eagerly willing to get anything Elodea desires.

"I'm sorry," squeaked Elodea. "It's my fault that I'm sick. I'm sorry, I didn't listen to you. You told me to stay and I didn't listen." Elodea recounted his mischievous endeavors in the labyrinth. Running and strolling down the ancient halls and discovering Caye's tomb. Placing all the blame onto himself. A tear tricked down his cheek. "I'm sorry daddy. Please. Help me. I'm sorry." He wheezed over his tears.

 _The labyrinth?_

Killua stroked Elodea's head, parting his bangs, and tried his best to ease the growing cries and whimpers. "It's not your fault. Don't tell yourself that." Killua repositioned the bag of ice, that was slipping off Elodea's head and unto the pillow. "I called Leorio, Dr. Oreo." A light smile cracked on Elodea's lips. "He'll be here soon and figure out what's wrong. I promise."

"Really?" Elodea questioned. He heard his father's aura, and it spoke the truth. Elodea gasped for air. Then he heard the sound of his own, never before has he heard it to be so quiet, like a faint whisper. It reminded him of the time when Miss Fox attacked Rabbit in the fields at the _Baker's Inn_. Rabbit's aura almost silenced completely. And his was the same. A muffled sound, ready to give out any moment, and it terrified him. He looked up, into Killua's eyes. "Am I going to die?" Tears came streaming down his cheeks. "I don't want to die. Help me daddy."

Killua's heart caved.

He gently squeezed Elodea's hand. Trying to soothe his son with words. And it ached him. It truly pained him to do so. Because that was all he could do.

All he could do was wait and stay by his son's side. Never has he felt so incompetent in his entire life.

He gripped Elodea's hand with his own, trembling.

* * *

The helicopter arrived in a matter of hours. Leorio practically leaped from the aircraft while it was still 10 feet hovering above the ground, while the propeller was still roaring. He ran into Alluka, who gave him Elodea's file from the hospital. "How is he?" Leorio questioned. They were both running into the apartment complex.

Alluka shook her head, "He's getting worse."

Leorio looked over Elodea's chart, while jumping up the stairs, without skipping a word. He analyzed the symptoms, then spoke. "These are all symptoms for viral meningitis."

"Yes. The doctors prescribed Elodea to take antibiotics, but they haven't been working." Said Alluka, "He should have healed by now. Now they are thinking its bacterial and want to put him on more medication." The last thing they wanted to do was put the boy on more medication. Pills and drugs intermingling with each other that can have disastrous effects on such a young boy.

Leorio thought as he read the chart, _it seems as though Dr. Andrew Yun gave a thorough enough examination. Utilizing all the necessary steps when handling pediatric patients. Although…this is a case he wasn't prepare for. Ha, not their fault. It's completely out of their realm._

The front door was slammed open, possibly leaving a dent in the wall.

"Let me examine him first." Leorio was led into to Elodea's room, and halted briefly when he encountered the sight of the boy. Elodea was pale, all bright color washed away from him, and the glint in his eyes were fading. The bright diamond of what used to be the boy was now a dusty, worn out pebble. He saw Killua by his son's side, with red brimmed eyes.

Every second counts.

He wasted no time. Leorio first examined the back of Elodea's neck. It was sweltering red and upon closer examination he saw two little dots horizontal, centimeters apart from each other, appeared faintly on his skin. They looked like bite marks. "When did Elodea start to show symptoms?"

Killua recounted, "A week ago. Specifically, the first day we arrived to Saherta."

"How so?"

"On the plane ride, he was fine. But later that same day, he seemed to be tired and wouldn't eat." Elodea wouldn't even eat peppers, his absolute favorite vegetable.

Leorio calculated Elodea's rate heart to be below 40 beats per minute. It was one thing to be slow in a bed resting, but completely another to be an active child with a high-grade fever.

Through palpation, Leorio gently touched the swelling area with his left hand and tapped it with his right. Elodea winced at the touch. Naturally, Leorio's aura type is emission. Increment by increment, he released pulses of his aura around Elodea's neck to check for any organisms or abnormalities. This nen technique was similar to an ultrasound.

Something was off. There was a strange flow of aura exiting Elodea's body. It's true that all living beings emit aura, but not at this alarming rate. That is impossible for people with closed nodes who are not awakened to nen. That would explain Elodea's pale and sickly appearance.

Leorio narrowed his eyes, releasing his aura, rippling through Elodea's body. Leorio used gyo, aura encasing his eyes.

A shape started to form.

At first, it seemed as unnoticeable as ripples of calm water reflecting on the ocean floor. Color started to appear, becoming more and more distinct. He narrowed his eyes and shuddered at the horrid site. A monster. No. Was it a snake? It certainly looked like it.

Its long green body coiled around the boy's abdomen, tight. Its eyes were black as night. Its two fangs were pierced in the back of Elodea's neck at the axis bone, locked into the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord. Every breath it drew, it grew bigger, sucking away the child's aura. And it would keep sucking until the child was dry of it. Bringing death.

Leorio knew he had to remove it immediately, but by which method? What did he even know about the creature? Its bite was deteriorating Elodea's central nervous system, which is responsible for processing and integrating motor and sensory information.

When Killua saw the beast, his eyes darkened and the claws on his hand sharpened. With one swift move, he was determined to extract the beast, until Leorio grabbed his hand. "Wait," Leorio said, calmly.

Killua glared at him, and looked as if he might turn his weapon unto the doctor. His friend. "Let go of me."

"We can't act recklessly. I need to know what this creature is first, before anything else."

"Look what it's doing to my son!" Killua jerked his hand free from Leorio,

"I understand, but I don't want to make matters worse going blind into this case," Leorio stated. Directly yanking the beast out would only damage Elodea's nervous system. It had to be removed with precision, avoiding nerves and ganglia and tracts. He knew the dangers that faced him, but there were still a few pieces missing before he could act. "Trust me."

Killua paused then said, "I do." Releasing a breath.

Suddenly Gon came barging into the room, panting. He was holding a clear container in his hand. After he was told about Elodea venturing alone in the labyrinth, he took it upon himself to retrace the boy's steps. He brought back with the final piece of the puzzle for Leorio.

The container contained five green little worms. Leorio looked back and forth between the specimens. The ones in the container and the one on Elodea.

Gon spoke, quickly, "The tomb was infested with them! They're parasitic nen beast formed by Hatsu. Most likely they were used as a security system against intruders during the time period of the Cayennes." At the tomb, he saw that the coffin was ajar, slightly open. Apparently, it was like that before Elodea entered the chamber. If Elodea didn't open it and neither did Gon's staff, if not them, then who did? But that is another mystery, for another time.

Gon looked towards Killua, "that coffin of the Empress, that you told me about. Well, there's a giant nest of them, over the thousands of years laying in rest, they shriveled up and weakened, but when the first sign of aura appeared in front of them, they took it."

Leorio held the container in his hand, and released aura into one section. Slowly, the beasts gravitated towards it. The beastie little things were attracted to it like bees to honey. Leorio repeated the experiment several times, proving Gon's hypothesis.

"Killua, do you happen to know Elodea's aura type?"

Killua looked bewildered.

"I'm going to need to know in order to operate on him."

Leorio stated that the nen beast opened a small portion of Elodea's nodes, awakening him to nen. Since this initiation was done by a physical attack, without proper care, it could lead to permanent disability or even death. They decided to use the water divination to determine Elodea's aura.

Killua propped up Elodea beside him and even held the boy's hands in front of the glass of water. With a single leaf floating within it. "Elodea, I know this is hard to understand now, but I need you to focus all of your energy into this glass. Can you do that for me?"

Elodea gasped. The world was spinning in front of him. He didn't know what was going on, let alone concentrate on a glass of water. "I," he breathed, "can't."

Killua's eyes dilated, "you have to try." He held Elodea's hands in front of the glass. Elodea's head leaned back, energy draining out of him.

Every second counts.

Leorio opened his suitcase, revealing a box of thin white paper. He gloved his hands securely, removing a tissue-thin piece of paper and placing in on Elodea's skin. He' let it sit there for 10 seconds, finally removing it, and placed it in the glass of water.

According to Leorio, there is a way to 'cheat' through the water divination. He invented this paper himself, when he was studying under Cheadle, head of the hunter association science division. He called it Leorio Paladinight's (amazing) Paper. Or 'LP paper' for short. The paper is highly sensitive to aura and acts as a sponge. Absorbing the discarded surface layer of aura lost through the skin it is placed upon. This way, a person may figure out their aura type without being initiated to nen. (Thus opened up Leorio's extensive research into aura transfusions, similar to that of blood transfusions among human beings.)

After the paper is soaked with aura, it is placed within water, the universal solvent. The reason water, than any other liquid, is used for the divination is because water magnifies the properties of aura. Allowing them to take on visible and distinguishable properties, verifying the different types of nen: enhancement, transmutation, emission, conjuration, manipulation, and specialization.

Tension seeped through the room as everyone eyed the glass of water.

The paper moved.

"Elodea is a manipulator," said Killua as he looked down at Elodea in his arms. Elodea's eyes barely stayed open, he was drifting further into sleep.

"Then we'll need a manipulator for the operation," Leorio deduced. "Gon, is there anyone who works under you that is that nen type?"

Gon stuttered, "I don't know, but I'll go check!"

"Wait!" Killua said, interrupting Gon, "What about a transmuter? Will that suffice for the operation?" He wanted to make himself useful, he'd give his own aura to Elodea if he could.

Leorio shook his head, "Transmutation wouldn't work. Its directly opposite of manipulation, the compatibility with the two is extremely low. If we were to use it, Elodea's body would immediately reject it. The two types don't mix well together. It will do more harm than good."

"What about me?" Alluka piped up, "I'm a specialist. Would that work?"

He nodded, it would work just fine, "Let's get stated then." Even though it is optimal to use aura that corresponds to the person's specific nen type. Specialists are equivalent to universal donors and can supply aura to all types of nen users. Alluka still qualifies as a specialist, even though Nanika has been asleep within her for several years. Not showing any signs of awakening any time soon.

"What about the baby?" Gon said, already concerned about his future child's well being put in harm's way.

Alluka protested, "I have to protect my nephew."

Elodea's stomach faced downwards, his back facing the ceiling. The bed was moved, so Alluka could stand at the head of it. Her hands on Elodea's shoulders. She would release her aura into Elodea's system, acting as a lifeline for his body to fall back on.

Leorio cleaned his scalpel with an alcohol pad, and infused his aura in it by using _Sho._ Extending his own aura into the knife, by doing so the knife could cut through steel and even diamond.

He applied localized anesthesia around Elodea's neck. He supplied as much as he could, but he knew it wouldn't suffice for the amount of pain Elodea would have to endure. His second option, which he refused, was placing Elodea in an induced coma. But that was dangerous. Once the parasite is removed, it would solely be up to Elodea who would have to close his own pores from releasing aura. He can't do that if he is unconscious.

Killua held on to Elodea's hand, "just look at me, okay."

Elodea minimally nodded his head.

"You're strong, you can get through this."

"Daddy," Elodea whispered. "Can you tell me a story please?"

Leorio agreed, "It will be a good distraction."

Killua swallowed and began, "You were outside, laying in the crib."

With absolute precision, Leorio made an incision between the skin and fangs of the nen beast with his scalpel. The beast fiercely bit harder into the neck. Alluka grabbed unto Elodea's shoulders. Elodea screamed. His body felt as it was sleeping upon a bed made of burning coal.

Killua spoke, "I only went inside momentarily to grab a milk bottle for you."

Leorio continued to make minimal cuts around the vertebra. The beast squirmed, while Elodea gripped Killua's hand.

"I-I followed the falcon." Killua wavered, watching his son wither in pain. Now, he was getting near the end of the story, "I held you, safe in my arms. That bird may have left scars on you, but that is proof that you can survive any hardship in life. You are a tough little warrior."

The parasites fangs were removed from Elodea's neck. The beast was free, but it was still hungry.

Killua let go of Elodea's hand jumped back. He emulsified his nen, displaying his aura to the beast. _Come at me._

The beast noticed the immense array of aura emitting from Killua. It no longer wanted to suck on the aura of the boy, almost dried out and tasteless. It wanted to sink its fangs into new, fresh meat.

It uncoiled from the boy and sprang towards Killua. Baring its sharpened fangs. With lighting fast speed, Killua grasped the monster by the head. It squirmed, vigorously. Killua squeezed it until it abruptly turned motionless and a purple liquid gushed within his hand. Dripping down his arm.

The beast was dead.

Killua threw the dead carcass on the ground and rushed back towards Elodea's side. Before, the parasite's fangs acted as a cork to a bottle. Now that the cork was removed, aura was spilling out of Elodea's body. Fast.

Alluka emitted her aura, surrounding Elodea's. Her aura was accepted and it was slowing down the flow of his own and trying to keep it in tact.

Killua gripped Elodea's hand. "Elodea, you are strong!

Elodea's grip began to loosen.

"You can do this!"

Elodea's eyes began to fade.

Killua screamed out of desperation, "Keep fighting!"

Elodea closed his eyes.

"Oh my god," the words faintly escaped through Leorio's mouth.

Killua's heart stopped, until he saw a black veil of steam surrounding Elodea. It was one of the four major principles of nen used to stop the flow of aura escaping the body, zetsu. Elodea's body went on auto drive, reacting the to the severe critical condition he was under. That is a technique that takes extended periods of time to master, yet Elodea unconsciously utilized the skill within a matter of seconds.

In a split moment, now more than ever, everyone fully realized that Elodea was born with a unique set of skills.

The operation was a success and Elodea's future was set in motion.

* * *

Elodea scarfed down his third bowl of instant noodle ramen.

His hunger was ravenous as he slurped noodles with a spoon. When he finished with the noodles, be held the bowl upward towards his lips and drank its contents. Then exhaled, blissfully satisfied.

At the stove, Killua was preparing another serving, the water was boiling as he poured in a chicken flavor packet.

Elodea fumbled with a boiled egg, peeling it of its shell.

After Elodea ate several bowls of ramen at half past midnight, Killua was relieved that Elodea was hungry again. A renewed appetite, a sign of healing. Elodea's complexion seemed brighter too, his skin was revitalized with color, a nice healthy glow. But he still needed to rest.

Two marks from the incisions during the surgery decorated the back of Elodea's neck. More scars.

Finally, Killua took it upon himself to tell Elodea the truth, about the 'sounds' Elodea always hears. He explained the world of aura and nen to the best of his ability without overwhelming the child. Elodea already went through so much.

"So…it isn't magic?" Elodea said, disappointedly, as he fumbled with his spoon. He frowned at the thought. "You can use aura and" Elodea stuttered, "even me. We can use _aura_." The word was foreign to his mouth. The talk of aura and nen and Ten and Zen and Sho and Gyo and... ugh… This was going to take a while to get used to.

Killua nodded.

"But," Elodea said, a smile spreading across his face. "We both can do it. We're the same!" He relished the idea that him and his father share another similarity. Besides from having the same hearts, they both can yield nen. They are truly father and son.

"You're right." Killua said as he tousled Elodea's hair.

The pot on the stove hissed. Another batch of ramen was ready.

And so began the start of Elodea's training. In order to protect his son from the dangers of a coldhearted world, Killua would hone Elodea's skills and teach him all that he knows and more.

In the years to come, this experience will seem as nothing more than a small gust of wind compared to the storm that will over sweep both of their lives.

But not now.

Let's allow the father and son to relax, enjoy each other's company and forget all the worries of the world, over a bowl of steaming hot noodles.

* * *

 **PHEW! THUS CONCLUDES PART 2 OF THE STORY *throws confetti* AND ONTO PART 3 *throws more confetti***

 **Thank you so much for reading, faving, following, reviewing! You are all amazing!**

 **What did you think of the cliffhanger? What did you think of the chapter? What did you think of part 2 as a whole? Are you excited for part 3? Do you have any questions/concerns and expectations for the future? Will Leorio get a share of the ramen? the world may never know! (sorry for bombarding you all with questions XD )**

 **YAY! Leorio saved the day! And now Elodea understands his own ability.**

 **So, here is the breakdown for the entire story. There is a total of 4 parts, with chapter 20 being the beginning of part 3. Excluding the holiday specials and extra side stories, there will be more than 30 chapters, but less than 40. Although, the number can change, but its a good estimate at the moment.**

 **AAAHHH! I'm just so excited to get to all the nitty gritty stuff in parts 3 and 4, I hope I can do it justice and I want to make it the best that I can! I really hope you guys are enjoying the story! And I bumped up the rating of the story from K+ to T because yeah...just wait to see what happens later MHWUAHWAHAHAHA (I swear I'm not evil T.T )**

 **Thank you for reading and see you next time!**


	22. Chapter 20: Crime x and x Fortune

**Hi! So I wanted to tell you all that I drew some sketches of Elodea! You can see them on my Deviantart profile, "Highway3" I drew three of them and** **I hope you have a look :D**

 **Thank you for reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20 : Crime x and x Fortune **

_Gen was born in the heart of summer._

 _It seemed as if the cicadas were celebrating his arrival, chirping their wings to the sound of his first cries._

 _It seemed as if the summer breeze was welcoming him into the world, brushing past the wind chimes, creating a marvelous melody to the sound of his first coos._

 _It seemed as if the golden rays of the sun, shined through the windows, gently patting the top of his head. Letting him take pleasure in his first taste of light._

 _It seemed as if many things waited for the long-anticipated arrival of Gen Freecss. First child. First son of Gon and Alluka Freecss._

 _Surrounded by friends and family. Gushing over how beautiful he was. Not that he paid any attention to what they were saying. But from the radiant smiles on their faces to his mother and father holding him tenderly. He could tell that it was good._

 _Gen sluggishly opened his eyes, revealing a pair resembling that of amber stones. If was as if they caught a fraction of the yellow sunlight, an electrifying force emitted from his eyes. Beaming happiness and joy._

 _Elodea nervously stepped forward, this was his first time meeting his cousin. He was hesitant at first, but it all melted away when Gen looked up at him and smiled. And giggled._

 _Elodea reached his hand forward into Gen's. It was small and squishy and soft. Gen slowly wrapped his small fingers around Elodea's index finger and cooed. Gen had a strong grip. Intent on not letting go._

 _And neither was Elodea._

* * *

 **6 years later**

* * *

Elodea's bangs swat against his forehead against the gush of high speed air hitting his face. His arms were wrapped behind his father's waist, sitting behind him.

Killua made an abrupt turn on his motorcycle. The tires screeched against the concrete. Creating an unpleasant sound that erupted in Elodea's ears. He didn't need more pleasantries distracting him.

"Where are they now?" Killua asked. His eyes focused on the road ahead of him.

Elodea focused his hearing, pinpointing the aura of the runaways. "50 kilometers north east of here."

"Did they exit the freeway?"

"No, not yet."

"Good."

Over the years, Elodea's skill set was honed, vigorously, under Killua's training. From seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months to years, Killua wasted no time teaching Elodea the concepts and back aching applications of nen.

A part of his childhood was given up.

A part of his innocence was left behind.

And his father took on dual roles, from a trusted friend to a strict teacher. Elodea didn't exactly take kind of the latter.

But nevertheless, he learned. He persevered. He tried and succeeded until he could get the techniques right. His father only accepted perfection and utter mastery of everything he taught, whether it was from close combat to distance.

It was insufferable, but his father also happened to disdain complaining. The whining, high pitched, annoying kind of complaining. At least, Elodea's feelings were not one-sided on the matter. He gave his father a run for his money on those days. Elodea happened to relish his own stubbornness because of it.

But the results paid off.

Perfecting Elodea's ability of aura resonation. He used to get severe headaches. Pain throbbing in his head, trying to master his skill. Now, Elodea could distinguish and isolate different auras within his proximity. At first, everything was a jumble, an orchestra of poorly timed instruments. He learned to separate sounds, aura, take them apart and put them back together again. Eventually, he learned to block almost all of the aura from his hearing, solely focusing on one precise origin. Or several origins at once. The ability came exceptionally handy when tracking certain individuals. Convicts, escapees, runaways. Especially during a chase.

In a sense, Elodea was a blood hound.

Because, all living things, from plants to animals to humans, emit aura. Some more than others. You may run, you may hide, and of course you very well may change your identity, even change the way you look. But you cannot change your aura. It sticks with you for life, until your very last breath, fizzling out of your body like flickering embers in a fire.

Since that is all Elodea needs, he will find you. You can count on that.

And he was very good at that. Killua was proud of Elodea's accomplishments. In turn, so was Elodea.

Elodea gasped, "they're not taking the freeway! Now their heading straight towards the Dimond Gate Bridge!"

"Hm, so they want to flee the city." Killua sighed, "figures."

"But that's west of here. We're going in the wrong direction and even worse," Elodea glanced towards the cars speeding past them and the concrete divider separating the roads, "we can't switch lanes."

"We can't?" Killua questioned. Suddenly, the motor roared as he sped up, Elodea gripped unto Killua, face planted against his father's back. The motorcycle swiveled 180 degrees, debris picking up from the scorching tires. Facing ongoing traffic.

"Oh my God, you're not serious. Please tell me you're not serious."

"Hold on tight!"

They drove past cars, trucks, vans, at high speed. From the corner of Killua's eye, he happened to see a pedestrian cross the road in the mist of traffic. Killua shook his head, displeasingly. He dared to comment, "Young people are so impatient nowadays. What does he want to do? Get run over and break his own bones?"

"Don't you mean us!?" _We'll be the ones that get run over!_ Elodea shouted, as they reared past a truck. Who happened to honk their horn and say several things that could very well qualify as intense road rage. Killua paid no heed to the truck driver.

"That's how people trick you into paying for their life insurance. All in all, stay away from crazies." Somewhere in between that brief life lesson, another driver yelled a horrible insult that involved Killua's mother, a diving board and a jar of peanut butter, originality never ceased to amaze him, to which Killua pleasantly responded, 'same to you.'

"Yeah dad, thanks, that will be the first thing I'll remember when I wake up in the hospital tomorrow morning."

"Always pessimism with you." Killua laughed, "Probably got it from your mother."

 _Mother_

Elodea breathed and looked down. Noticing the fabric of Killua's shirt wafting in the wind. "Dad, I've been wanting to talk to you about-" He was cut off when his father spoke.

"I'm going to let you off at the terminal and we'll meet at the bridge. You know what to do after that."

Elodea cleared his mind and focused back on the mission, "Yes!"

"That's my boy."

 _Focus on the mission_ , Elodea thought. _Just focus._

* * *

Elodea waited on the side of the road, east of the Diamond Gate bridge. So far, according to the plan, his father is tailing the runaways (who high jacked a falafel truck that visited their detainment ward to give the prisoners a little taste of the modern, outside world) that will be entering the through the South entrance of the bridge.

Elodea bent down towards the ground. Eyeing car after car, air gushing against him. He would be reunited with his father at the North Entrance of the bridge, but he would need a ride to do so.

Through his periphery, he saw a truck driving towards him.

He intently eyed the open door and the metal railing to hold on to.

Elodea steadied himself. He breathed, his muscles pushing down on the ground and the ground pushing up at him. The roar of the tires steadily increased and so was Elodea's adrenaline.

The truck was within his range, all he needed was a running start. A fast start.

Now!

His muscles pushed off the ground as he sprinted towards the intersection he and the truck would meet. He jumped. He grabbed. He flung himself in the empty seat next to the driver and the first thing he did was buckle his seatbelt. Safety first.

The driver looked back and forth between the boy and the road, baffled. "What-how-What- WHO ARE YOU!?" He didn't know what to make of this situation. This has never happened to him before. Was this an illusion? Was he crazy? He really should have taken a nap before the 10-hour drive. Now he was just seeing things. He finally understood that time on the road really does do crazy things to people, he was a living example of that.

"Excuse me. Sorry to intrude unannounced, but…" Elodea pulled put a badge, of the Diamond City Police Force. It was loaned to him by the chief. He has to return it…of course. "You and with the access of your vehicle are under the jurisdictions to abide under the laws governing Diamond City to assist any and/or all protectors of the peace when called upon in the face of action. Failure to cooperate will lead to automatic detainment with an indefinite sentence for insubordination of the law."

The truck driver gawked at him, silent.

"I need you to help me chase down criminals." Elodea clarified, "with your truck. Now."

"Look kid," said the man, waving his hand through the air, "I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm a simple man and you see…"

Elodea scribbled down a large sum of numbers on his touch screen watch. "You'll be compensated with this amount of Jenny."

"That's a lot of digits," the man said, drooling over the amount of money he could get.

"Indeed, it is."

"Y'know, I've always wanted to be an officer. It was my true calling in life."

"Well," said Elodea. "Today is the day your dream comes true."

* * *

Killua gripped the handles of the motorcycle. He had the runaways in sight, and he tried to get them to pullover. But as usual, they weren't cooperating and they were being exceptionally unfriendly. They even had the audacity to throw a sauce bin at him, tangy garlic sauce splashed all over the road. A droplet got in his sleeve. He sneered.

"That wasn't very nice," said Killua. He raced besides the truck only to have a gun pointed towards him, with the convict's shaky hand fidgeting with the trigger. "oh, come on, be reasonable."

The terrified man pulled the trigger, but missed. Terribly.

"What were you aiming at?" Killua questioned as he looked across the bridge, at the shimmering water, "If it was your dignity, you're going to need a long-range rifle. Because you and I both know that its _long_ gone."

The man angrily groaned, anxiety pouring out of his system. He tried to fire his weapon again, but he ran out of ammo. So instead of restocking it like any other sane person would do, he flung the weapon it at the hunter with all his might. Once again, it missed and clattered against the concrete.

"Okay, now you're just trying to spite me."

Killua eyed the north entrance of the bridge, with a brigade formed at the end of it. Then he narrowed his eyes, spying Elodea with fellow police officers. Killua smiled.

As the falafel truck slowed down, then came to an abrupt stop. The panicked convicts were trapped between a horde of angry looking armed police officers and a hunter who looked like he could kill a person in 80 different ways in under 10 seconds. They considered they would have better luck jumping down the 700 ft. bridge and swimming with the sharks. Oh, the wonderful array of deadly options they had to choose from.

But alas, the odds were not in their favor. It took them too long to decide when they were hit with a powerful wave of pulsing, blue electricity. They slumped down onto the ground with utter defeat, with frayed hair and steam rising from their newly charred flesh.

It turned out, that returning to prison seemed like the better option after all. At least they would be protected from any further wrath of that insane white haired hunter.

And his little kid too.

* * *

It was half past eleven, and there were barely any restaurants open. Except for this little dim sum catering hall. Where they served dumplings and meat buns and noodles and soups and many more delicacies fried in the finest oil cheap food establishments can buy.

Round tables lay across the hall. Decorated with red table clothes and gold colored utensils (they were really plastic) and napkins were set up at each empty chair. Waiting for hungry contenders to feast on authentic oriental delicacies.

Killua and Elodea sat at a small table for two near the window. Elodea looked out the window to see the streets, pitch black; except for the lamp posts. Dimly lighting the outside world. He leaned closer towards the window, narrowing his eyes. He could have sworn he saw someone getting mugged. But then the recipient proceeded to throw a textbook out of their backpack at the 'muggers' head. Then they fled when the person was down for the count.

Elodea was smacked back into reality when the waitress came to take their orders. She also handed them two cups of green tea, with packets of sugar and a small container of cream.

Elodea stared down at the menu and pondered what he should eat. It always entertained him to try different foods, things he's never eaten before. He looked onto the menu and saw the curry options. The matsusaka curry was loaded with beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions over a bed of white rice. It looked good. "I'll have the beef curry, please."

The waitress began to write down the order, until Killua intervened. "No, he won't. We'll take two orders of teriyaki chicken with a side of edamame dumplings."

The waitress crossed out the order and began to write the new one.

Elodea looked towards Killua, pleadingly. "But dad, I've had curry before."

"Did you happen to look underneath that meal. It's the spiciest curry they have. You won't like it." Killua handed his menu to the waitress, he was done ordering.

Huh! How would he know whether he would like it or not! Elodea could take one bite of the curry and discover that it's his new favorite food. "I can handle it." Elodea said adamantly, despite never eating anything spicy in his entire life.

Killua shrugged and looked at the waitress, "He said he can handle it. Make it two orders of the beef curry."

The waitress, minimally grunted, and scribbled out the old order and wrote in the new one. And hopefully the last one.

Elodea drank a clear cup of green tea while Killua poured at least 5 packets of sugar into his. While elodea savored the bitterness of the tea, Killua loathed it. If there was one thing to know about his father, it was that he has a sweet tooth. His father was the type of person who loved chocolate milk, even to the point of there being more chocolate syrup than milk ratio within the glass. He was the type of person who preferred frosting than the actual cake. He was the type of person who despite how many gallons of sugar he ingests yearly, has sparkling white teeth with no cavities. (That is because Killua brushes his teeth at least twice a day, and flosses after every meal…He has never deviated from this routine. Not even once.)

Elodea gawked at the empty packets of sugar. "Honestly, I'm amazed, but how do you not have cavities?"

"I take my dental hygiene very seriously, and so should you." Killua looked over towards an empty table, eyeing the unguarded condiments. "Now, could you go over to that table and grab me a few sugar packets? Our waitress refuses to give us extras."

"I think that's because you already ate the _extras_."

Killua smirked and narrowed his eyes, "You are willing to be a smart aleck and let your poor father be deprived of one simple pleasure in life. Okay, mister know it all. I'll just sit here and drink my bland, tasteless, dull, _did I mention bland_ tea." Killua sulked, then dramatically sighed, stirring his sugarless tea.

"Fine, I'll go. But what if they ask me what I'm doing?"

"They won't, but if they do say that you lost one of your contacts."

"But I don't wear contacts. I don't even wear glasses."

"They don't know that." Killua said, "Now go over there when nobodies looking." They both looked towards the hall. Killua gave Elodea the signal to go when another waitress passed by them. A perfect window of opportunity. Elodea, nonchalantly, walked down the hall with his hands in his pockets. He _just_ happened to pass by a table, that _just_ happened to have lots of sugar packets, and he _just_ happened to stuff a handful in his pocket. A waitress passed by him and gave him a questioning glance. He returned the gesture with an innocent smile and a nod of his head.

 _AW! He is so cute!_ The waitress internally gushed then carried on her way, delivering trays of food to another table. She suspected nothing.

Elodea arrived back to the table, with a look of victory plastered on his face. "I have the goods."

" _Thank you, my son, I gave you an offer you couldn't refuse_." Killua said with his best Italian accent.

" _This is business. Not personal_." Elodea replied too, with an Italian accent.

Killua nodded, amazed. "That was good."

"Thanks, I've been practicing." Elodea said bashfully. Him and his father were both fans of Mario Puzo's mafia trilogy, _The Godfather_. Although, Elodea has only seen the movies and he wasn't allowed to watch 'certain' scenes. Nevertheless, he fell in love with the romanticized story and thought it was epic. They laughed for a bit, imitating the famous Don Corleone, Killua could do it pretty well if he stuffed two marshmallows in his mouth. Finally, Elodea had the courage to ask, a question that's been occupying his mind for ages. "Um, dad. I want to talk to you about mom."

There was a small moment of hesitation between him and Killua. The atmosphere in the air changed immediately. One that started off as silly to just plain awkward. "I told you before, haven't I." Killua said, calmly.

"You have, but, you always seem to… I don't know…" Elodea dared to say. "avoid talking about it." Whenever the topic of his mother comes into play, which is always brought up by none other than himself, it always gets glossed over. As Elodea grew older, he had more questions. _What was she like? Did she have the same ability as me? She had to, right? Was she beautiful? Why did you two split up? Was it because of me?_ Whatever response he would get it was always vague and blurry. The more questions he asked, the fewer answers he received. From the look on his father's face, Elodea thought the topic troubled his father. He was uncomfortable talking about it. Why?

"If you're looking for a _fairytale_ story, then there isn't much to begin with." Killua said, tearing open the packets of sugar and pouring them into his tea. Spinning lies over more lies. _Lies to protect_. He was protecting his son. He convinced himself what he was doing was right. Killua looked up at his son, whose amethyst eyes pleaded and desperately quenched for answers. "We were so young." Killua rubbed his eyes. Was he nostalgic, emotional, or was he aggravated? Elodea couldn't really tell. "We thought we knew what we were getting into. But in the end, we bit off more than we could chew."

"But you were in love with her, right?"

Killua paused and shifted in his seat.

There it was again. Hesitation. It was as if his father was forcing out these answers against his will. Each question, each answer was harder to crank out than the first. But Elodea wouldn't stop now. He wanted answers.

"I _thought_ I was." Killua said, "But people change and life goes on."

"What changed? Her, you, me? Did she not want me? Did she leave because of me?" Elodea pressed on.

"No, of course not. It had nothing to do with you. Even in the beginning when we started dating, there was always friction between her and me, the relationship wouldn't have lasted long anyway. It was for the best that we split up. It was the best for you that we did."

Elodea nodded. It was always _her._ He never got a name. Or a picture. Or anything. Sometimes he just assumed that his parents went through a really nasty breakup and his father cleansed his heart by getting rid of all the evidence of ever being associated with her. But he couldn't leave one picture? Just one? Instead, Elodea let his imagination take over. He imagined his mother being the most beautiful woman in the world. She had his jet, black hair and his amethyst eyes. Even angels were envious of her gorgeous smile. And she was kind and sweet and gentle and everything he wanted in a mother. _She_ was perfect.

"So, the _bitch_ left," Killua said, bitterly. He always seemed to harbor 'negative' feelings against his ex and always, or at least most of the time, painted her to be the villain. And that she wasn't all that gorgeous either. Very unkind too. Not to mention nasty as hell. The main reason he said all these things was to make Elodea feel less attached to a fantasy, to a person that doesn't exist. It is easier to hate a monster than it is to hate a saint. So far, it wasn't working.

"Wasn't there one good quality about her? There had to be something. If there wasn't, why did you even date her in the first place?"

Killua sipped his tea and he thought of an answer in his head, but realized that Elodea probably wouldn't understand his joke. He was too young after all.

"It was _more than the kisses_. Right?"

Killua spit up his sugary tea and coughed, vigorously. When he was done choking, he spoke, "did you watch those scenes from The Godfather I _explicitly_ told you not to watch?"

Elodea turned a tomato red and nervously shifted in his seat, mumbling words that wouldn't come out of his mouth, (and the tables have turned so badly), "…no." He squeaked. Then laughed. Then squeaked, again. "So, what was the good thing about mom?"

"Well, I guess she gave me one thing that I cherish."

Excitement blossomed on Elodea's face as he leaned across the table, "Really!? What is it? Tell me, tell me!"

"You."

* * *

A platter of piping hot beef curry laid in front of Elodea. He felt the steam rise against his face and could smell the spices burning the inside of his nose. He stared down at the bright red, spicy curry and started to have second doubts.

The waitress even gave both of them tall glasses of cold milk accompanying their dinners. This curry was spicy stuff. They would definitely need a cold beverage to counteract the heat.

Killua took one bite of the curry, "it's good." Then he proceeded to scope another bite with his spoon.

That gave Elodea some confidence, he breathed, scooped up an equal portion of both curry and rice, and ate it.

Hmmmm. It wasn't that spicy. It actually tasted pretty good. The beef was succulent and juicy. It melted like butter in his mouth and the rice was fluffy too. There's a little bit of an aftertaste, but-

WHY IS HIS TONGUE ON FIRE!?

WHAT DID HE JUST STUFF IN HIS MOUTH!? FLAMING HOT COAL!? IS THIS EVEN LEGAL TO SERVE TO UNKNOWING (and ignorant) COSTUMERS!?

Before he was aware of it, he was chugging down the glass of cold milk. And surprised when he reached the bottom of the glass, getting every measly drop of milk he could. But his mouth was still stinging.

Killua pushed his glass of milk towards Elodea.

"Thanks, but I don't need it." Elodea's words meant nothing, on account of his tear brimmed eyes, and Killua thought that he actually saw smoke coming out of Elodea's mouth and ears. He stifled a laugh. Killua, himself, enjoyed spicy foods. To him, spicy was a mild kind of poison. More enjoyable and especially more tolerable.

"Take it," Killua gestured again. He finished his plate of spicy curry and from the look on his face and growl of his stomach. He was craving another serving.

"Go ahead, you can have mine."

"Are you sure you're not going to finish it?"

Elodea shook his head as he handed over his barely touched plate to Killua. He was determined not to take another bite. His mouth felt as if a volcano just erupted in his mouth, oozing lava with a tad of molten magma. Then the thought of the Pokémon magmar, popping into his head. He still hasn't caught one in _pokemon go_ yet…

As Elodea drank his cup of cold milk and blew a few bubbles, disappointedly. Killua called over the reluctant waitress and ordered a bowl of mild food for his son… And ice…

One could justify the boy's bright red face, spreading from his cheeks to the tips of his ears, due to the spicy curry; too powerful for the young lad to handle.

In truth, he was embarrassed ...and he only took one bite of it. What a wimp…..

* * *

For dessert, both of them were each given a single fortune cookie.

Elodea cracked open the golden shell, pieces crumbling onto the table. He ate half while reading his fortune. He cocked his head to the side. He didn't know what it meant. "What did you get?"

"It says ' _now for a limited time only, two for the price of one sale for spring rolls._ ' Well…" Killua shrugged. "Aren't I lucky." Killua remembered the time when he received a fortune cookie at a Chinese restaurant, it read, " _abort mission! the restaurant is bugged!_ " At first, he thought it was a joke, but it turned out it was for another undercover hunter in the restaurant who was situated at the table across from him. So the hunter who was supposed to get it, never got it at all and well….it wasn't pretty. Let's just say that the chicken lo-mein got everywhere and soy sauce stained everyone's shirts. Yikes…

Elodea laughed. "there's an expiration date for the fortune on the back." Killua turned over the 'fortune,' to reveal the date to which cash in the coupon on such a sweet deal. It expired two months ago.

"What does your say?"

"It's kind of confusing, but here it is, ' _A putrid cloud will disorient you at midday. Be prepared._ ' Don't know what that's supposed to mean."

"Let me see."

Elodea handed over his fortune to him. Killua eyed the paper while puckering his lips. He had a piece of beef stuck in his teeth.

"Hm?" Killua turned over the paper to see if anything was written on the back. There wasn't.

"What am I supposed to be prepared for?"

"Anything."

"Can you please be a little more specific?" Elodea said as he rested his chin on the table. He blew a piece of hair away that was annoyingly sweeping against his eyes.

"The matsusaka beef curry."

"Really?"

"Yeah, for some reason it's not sitting right with me," Killua said, as he covered his mouth, feeling queasy. "Let's go before that fortune comes true."

"R-Right!" Elodea said and mumbled a quick thanks for his dinner.

And off they went.

* * *

On the car ride home, Elodea sat in the front seat while Killua drove.

Elodea bundled up his jacket into a make shift pillow and rested his head. And closed his eyes. He learned over the years that sleeping sitting up in the car can give him massive neck strain. When he didn't have a pillow, a jacket would do the job just fine.

Elodea yawned. It was late and he was tired. He couldn't wait to jump into his bed and sleep until noon. Huh, _his b_ ed. It isn't actually his. And _the home_ they are going to isn't actually theirs. Sometimes it's an apartment or a condo or a shack or a hotel. Or a different country or state or province or continent. Elodea was used to change. Him and his father both lived off change.

The concept of home, a place of their own, was foreign to him. The idea of waking up in the same room under the same roof in the same area for years, amazed him. How could people live in such a fixed lifestyle? Although, it was something he wanted to try.

Ha, as if. Like his dad would just randomly settle down in a suburban neighborhood and bake apple pie and host a barbeque (or whatever people do in the suburbs...). His father is a hunter and hunters always move around. Or at least him and his dad do anyway…

Elodea felt two cold fingers press against the skin of his neck. Elodea didn't bother to open his eyes, but he groaned at the touch.

"How's the back of your neck?" Killua asked, looking back and forth between his son and the road.

"Fine," Elodea mumbled, drifting into sleep. Two little dots, resembling bite marks laid permanently on the back of his neck. Usually his hair covered the legions and it didn't really bother him. That and they kind of looked like a vampire bit him and he thought that was pretty cool.

"Do you remember anything from back then?" Killua said, referring to the dreadful night in Saherta 6 years ago. Elodea vaguely remembered the experience, they were visiting Uncle Gon and Aunt Alluka, he explored a little bit around the ruins, but that's all he could remember.

"It was hot. Really hot," Elodea mumbled in his jacket pillow. Although, he did remember that he got sick. Really sick. He was bedridden for days. The pain fogged his memory. But there was one moment he clearly remembered, fondly. After recovering, he was famished. His dad was making him bowls of ramen to eat. They were just instant dried noodles with packets of powdered chicken seasoning. (Which probably didn't come from a real chicken) It was nothing special. But…

He swore it was the most delicious food he has ever eaten in his entire life.

* * *

Elodea moaned and shifted in bed.

His stomach growled. It was definitely noon. But why was it still dark? Wait, why couldn't he open his eyes? It felt like there was something heavy covering his face-

"Ugh!" Elodea rolled out of bed, falling on the wooden floor. His blanket tangled around him while he was wafting the sullied air that suffocated him. "What's that smell!?" He was greeted with a good morning call, that just so happened to be a fart.

"GOOD MORNING!" A little boy with white hair and amber eyes plopped onto Elodea's stomach, energetically. "Hi Elodea! Why are you still asleep? It's twelve o'clock! You should be up! I got up at seven this morning!"

"Wha- Noon?" said Elodea, sluggishly. Suddenly, he just realized what that fortune meant. The accuracy baffled him. "Gen, can you please get off me. You're squishing my lungs."

"okie dokie Elodea. I like you best when your lungs aren't squished."

"yeah, I like them best that way too." Elodea lifted himself up, sitting upright. And yawned out loud. He completely forgot that his cousin Gen was going to stay with him and Killua for a while. Because Gon and Alluka are setting up preparations of venturing to the Dark Continent. So far, the hunters are setting up a base on Nogaku Island, the border between the Known and Unknown worlds. It would take a few years to construct the base before even preparing for the actual voyage to the Dark Continent.

Gen laughed and brushed his hands through Elodea's hair. "Your hair is so messy that you got a bed head! But don't worry Elodea, I have a solution!" Gen scurried and over and pulled out his suitcase. He unzipped it and revealed a neatly packed assortment of clothes, underwear, tooth brush and toothpaste, and exactly what he was looking for, A COMB!

"You're going to make me beautiful?"

Gen energetically nodded his head at least 50 times. "The beautiful-ist."

"Lay it on me."

"Yippee!"

Gen stroked the comb through Elodea's slick black hair. Slowly and precisely, he was after all creating a masterpiece. Then when he was finished he stepped back from his work and put his hand to his chin. Thinking. Contemplating. Analyzing. "Turn your head to the left."

Elodea did just that.

"To the right."

Elodea did so again.

Gen stroked his chin and _hhhmmmm-ed_ a lot.

"Be honest with me. How does it look? I can take it."

"Just as I suspected!" Gen approached Elodea and grabbed the front of his bangs with his hands, "With these antennae's you'll be able to contact the mothership in no time!"

"Blee-bloop-be-bop," Elodea said in ancient alien language.

"bo-bo-beep!"

"bop!"

"Shmekal-dorf!" Gen said.

Elodea pretended to gasp, "Gen, watch your language. There are children present." And quickly, Gen covered his mouth with both of his hands as if he really did say something atrocious. Then came the on slot of uncontrollable laughter from the two boys.

Then Gen rushed into Elodea's arms and smothered him with a hug, "I missed you."

"I know."

Someone knocked on the door. It was Killua, "You're up early." _Early_ was an understatement, but Elodea was up. So, that was an accomplishment in of itself. Alongside him was Gon and Alluka.

"Hi mommy!" Gen said, his arms still hooked around Elodea. His face smushed against his cousin's.

Alluka went through a long list with Gen to go over the basics, such as _be good_ , _brush your teeth, go to bed early,_ _don't cause any trouble, if you think of a mischievous idea go over it with uncle Coal first, please don't cause any trouble._ To which Gen nodded his head for each one, signifying that he understands the rules and the altercations of disobeying them. But really, all he could think about was Elodea's hair antennas to contact an ancient alien super race and conquer the secrets of the universe. Be-blooo-bueu-bop!

Elodea looked up at his aunt. She was beautiful and kind and gentle. Sometimes, if he tried to imagine his own mother, he'd think of her.

"Elodea," said Killua, "help Gen unpack. And catch up with each other."

"There isn't much catching up to do," said Elodea.

"That's RIGHT!" said Gen, "We tell each other EVERYTHING!" _Everything_ was an understatement, but these two boys do communicate very frequently. From calling each other on the phone to video chatting over the internet to texting each other cryptic messages using only emoji's. Whole conversations and even stories can be told through unicorn, monkey and poo emoji's! Although interpretations may vary significantly between each recipient.

For example, a winky face accompanied with stars and a smoothie can mean that one is enjoying a delicious strawberry beverage OR humans are being pelted with stars plummeting from outer space by an evil smoothie subspecies whose goal is to poke everyone's left eye.

"Gen," Elodea remembered from their last conversation via skype, "did you go to the top of the world tree yet?"

Gen's face illuminated, "You bet we did!" Gen proceeded to scroll through pictures on his phone, pictures of him taking selfies (which were always blurry for some reason), him and his mom and dad. AND a bunch of pictures of the giant fuzzy hatchlings at the top of the tree. Gen said he could practically cuddle with them. THEY WERE SO SOFT!

Elodea remembered when him and Killua climbed the World tree. He was surprised to find out that it was only a sapling and the ones in the dark continent are a hundred's times bigger. Although, when he went, the birds nest was empty. The baby birds outgrew their nest and ventured someplace else. The climb up the tree was definitely a workout, but Elodea smiled at the thought when they made it to the top; they made smores and watched the sun fade in the horizon, shining a brilliant array of colors.

While Elodea helped Gen unpack, Gen's parents said their goodbyes with lots of hugs and kisses.

Gen gave Elodea another hug and wouldn't let go of him. It's been such a long time since he's seen him in person. Seen his face without it being hidden behind a computer screen, or a voice so natural without it being masked with static over the phone.

He missed him. Just too much.

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you so much for reading! This chapter was just kind of like a day in their lives.**

 **So? What did you think of the beginning of part 3? Yup 6 years later, our father and son are living happily, working together, but as you can see, Killua is telling false tales to Elodea, over and over again...that can't be good... And Elodea is curious...What did you think of Gen, Gon and Alluka's child? He's a little eccentric XD buts he loves a lot XD I'm eager to know what you think. :D**

 **(I'm also sorry if things may seem slow, but its all building up.)**

 **LOL I also referenced two pop cultural icons: The Godfather (had to read it for sociology and I'm in love XD ) and Pokémon Go!**

 **Thank you so much for reading, faving, following, and reviewing! Thank you for supporting me! It motivates me so so so so so much!**

 **See you next time! Bye!**


	23. Chapter 21: The Boys x Take x The City

**Chapter 21: The Boys x Take x The City**

"I want this one!" Gen shouted as he bounced up and down on Elodea's bed.

"…that one's mine."

"Exactly. That's why I want it," Gen giggled as he flopped down on the bed, tousling the sheets.

"Fiiiiiiiiine," Elodea groaned, "but I'm not going to make your bedsheets, you can do that yourself. Oh, and here's the dresser, this one is your shelf. Got it?"

"I got it!" Gen dragged his suitcase and proceeded to unpack his clothing. Elodea helped too of course. He neatly folded Gen's shirts and shorts into neat squares while Gen simply rolled them into giant balls and stuffed them in the dresser.

"Gen, you're doing it all wrong," Elodea gestured, "you fold it over neatly like this, collar out and sleeves in." He neatly folded a T-shirt, into a perfect square with neat and organized edges. Then delicately placed it into the dresser drawer, stepping back, and admiring his handy work.

"I can say the same thing about you." Gen shook his head, disapprovingly, " _You're_ doing it all wrong." He took the perfectly folded shirt and shook out the crispness, jumbling it into a ball. "Then you pat it down really good."

"It looks like you're making a snow ball," Elodea laughed.

Gen looked at Elodea then down at his 'snow ball' then back up at Elodea. A smile quickly spread across his face, mischievously. "Cause I am," Gen said then immediately threw the clothes ball at Elodea.

Elodea narrowed his eyes, "so that's how you want to play." He caught on quickly, and dove behind his mattress, grabbing a wad of clothes with him.

"I declare war on your side of the room! It _shall_ be mine!" Gen said as he dove behind the other bed.

"As if you'd expect me to willingly hand it all over. I'll fight to the death to protect my land!"

And so the two boys declared a very superficial, but gravely serious 'war' that all started from the disagreement over the _'how to properly fold clothes' Act_ in Elodea's room _._ They sung their battle cries, threw and hurdled bundles of clothes at each other, and it got ugly when the heavy-duty pillows became involved. The stakes were steadily rising on this oh-so serious conflict.

Down the hall in the living room, several adults were over hearing the outburst of jubilant laughter.

"I love it when they're together," Alluka said, "Before, all Gen could talk about was wanting to play with his cousin. Time together will do them good."

"I agree," said Killua, "Elodea's an outgoing kid, but it's nice when he has someone around his own age to play with." Well, technically Gen was half Elodea's age, but nevertheless, he was the closest one to it.

"His birthday is coming up soon, right."

"Yeah, Elodea will be thirteen in a few weeks."

"We have to do something special for him," Alluka gushed. "What are you thinking of doing?"

Killua shrugged, "Dinner. Cake. Mostly cake."

"You can't go wrong with cake," Gon nodded.

"Food is always a winner," Killua agreed.

Alluka scoffed, "What am I going to do with you two? He's turning the big one-three. It has to be memorable. I'll just have to think of something special."

"Aren't you a generous aunt."

"The one and only."

"And uncle," Gon said.

"Sure honey, whatever you say."

They immediately stopped their chatter when heard a loud crash. It came from another room, most likely where the boys are playing. Killua turned towards the sound, peeked down the hallway and yelled, "What was that?"

"Nothing!" the boys said in unison.

Killua let out a deep sigh. There were two kids, two young boys wreaking havoc in his house. Elodea and Gen. On their own, they are manageable, but together, they are a mischievous duo. They can bring the world to a standstill if they wished. Or topple it or turn it over or turn it side ways to front ways to back ways again. Their imaginations are limitless, far exceeding the boundaries of the sky created by people whom thought it was the farthest anyone could ever go. They were wrong, of course.

"We'll be back in two weeks, I'll think of something completely and utterly amazing so we can all celebrate Elodea's birthday together."

"Elodea will like that a lot," Killua said. "And Alluka, this is off topic, but have you noticed that Gen kind of looks like…." He gestured towards his face and white hair.

Alluka laughed then whispered, "he looks just like dad when he was a kid." From his snow, white hair to the glint in his eyes to the dimples in his cheeks and even to his impish smile. Gen was the spitting image of the grandfather he doesn't even know, Silva Zoldyck.

"Genetics are scary." Killua said.

Then there was an unspoken connection of understanding between the two siblings. When Gen was born, Alluka vowed to never tell Gen of her and Killua's ancestry. A solemn pact they made that day. They were new people and their past will no longer burden them. Despite never telling Gen of Alluka's ancestry, they did tell him of Gon's. Gon told him all the stories that revolved around him and his own father, pleasantly. The reason he took the hunter exam (to find his father), his adventures on Greed Island (to find his father…again), and a whole on slew of more endeavors to find his father, and then finally meeting Ging for the first time at the Hunter Election. Although, the same fondness found in Gon's eyes, did not, at all transcribe to Gen's.

It was a sunny spring day, when Gen first met Ging. Gen was told to be on his best behavior, but all he could manage was a scowl. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were narrowed, and the corners of his lips constantly pointed downwards. Even before Gen met him, he didn't like Ging. He already made up his mind. How could a father abandon their child, create a deadly video game for the son whom he never played with, and not visit him in the hospital when the son was really really REALLY sick!? It didn't make sense!

Gen made sure to give Ging a piece of his mind. Yes siree! He did just that. Gen walked up to Ging with his hands to his side, striding towards him at a walking pace. Gon and Alluka thought he was going to give Ging a hug….they thought wrong. Gen stopped in front of Ging and yelled out "I DON'T LIKE YOU AND YOU'RE A MEANIE!" and kicked him hard in the shin. Then walked away with his head held up high, feeling ever so proud of himself.

Ging made up his mind too, about Gen that day. He was an obnoxious brat.

As Gon and Alluka left, Killua heard another loud crash coming down the hall, along with lots of laughter to cover up the issue.

"I swear, if anything is out of place or broken beyond repair when I get in there I'll mount both of your butts on the wall."

"Hurry Gen, clean! Clean like your life depends on it!" Elodea flipped the mattress back onto its box spring and hurriedly picked up the hurricane caused mess of disheveled clothes.

Gen laughed has he picked up his clothes, neatly rolling them up into snowballs and placing them back into the dresser drawer then placing the dresser drawer back into the dresser, "Uncle Coal is so funny."

"Yeah, you say that because you don't live with him." Elodea said quickly, with his voice laced with laughter. "Now hurry!"

When Killua entered, he peered across the room, everything was tidy, organized and well-ordered. "Like I thought," he said, suspiciously. Eyeing the two boys from head to toe. Suddenly the closet door popped open and a huge tidal wave of knickknacks and junk splashed unto the ground. A Frisbee disc rolled onto the ground and next to Killua's foot.

Killua looked back and forth between the boys, then the disc, then back to the boys again.

"Mount his!" each boy pointed and said in unison as they accused the other. Traitors, the both of them. No one was to be trusted.

Killua, silently, picked up the disc and nonchalantly tossed it back into the closest, as he walked out of the room.

"Maybe he isn't mad?" said Gen.

Then Killua said, loudly, "where are my plaques?"

* * *

Nobodies butts were mounted, but there was a heavy lecture. After Elodea and Gen cleaned their room while listening to Killua lecture, he could practically talk forever, but it was time for lunch! And everybody was famished.

Gen wanted to eat Elodea's famous pizza bagels! Which were made from nonother than bagels, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese. Three simple ingredients to make a delicious dish. So first, they cut the bagels horizontally down the middle, and spread them across the table. Now, the blank canvases were ready for individual customization. The artists had an array of options to choose from, tomato to cheese to pepperoni to onions to mushrooms to oregano, they had it all.

Finally, they placed the bagels in the oven to toast and waited until they were golden brown. The kitchen was filled with laughter and hungry bellies, it seemed as if the Menfitz house turned into its very own pizza parlor.

Killua took out his phone and snapped a picture of the finished products, "Gen, I'm going to show your mom that I just prepared a well-balanced and nutritious meal for you guys."

He instantly got a reply which read, " _Where are the vegetables?"_

" _In the sauce…. somewhere."_

After they gorged themselves on pizza bagels, they ventured to the park.

* * *

High-pitched laughter resonated throughout the grounds. The playgrounds were filled with children, playing to their hearts contents. Not far off, were their parents, watching them like hawks, dutifully keeping their hatchlings in sight.

When they first arrived to the park, Elodea went to the vending machine to buy a bottle of water. Coins jingled in his pocket as he fished out the amount he needed. As the water bottle jolted out of the machine, Elodea swiped it quickly to return to Killua and Gen, but as he walked towards them, he immediately found himself hiding behind the slide, as a woman came up to his father and cousin. She was holding a pile of pamphlets. Elodea waited behind the slide, listening.

"Good afternoon, are you both enjoying the park today?"

"So far," said Killua. Gen eyed the woman, intently. She was wearing a ridiculous hat! Blue and white polka dots popped from her head. Gen giggled.

"Well, you'll enjoy it even more," she handed him a pamphlet, "by participating in the park's annual 'father and son relay race' today. Both of you look like eager contenders. I wouldn't be surprised if you two came out victorious." The woman said, happily.

Elodea's heart stung. That woman thinks Killua and Gen are father and son! Those two! That's ridiculous!

But, how was the woman supposed the know. He guessed it was a safe assumption, they did look alike, with the white hair and all. And they did have the same smiles, and the same cheek bones. Unconsciously, Elodea touched his own cheek, feeling bitter.

The plastic bottle crushed in Elodea's hand. Water was seeping through his fingers and dripping onto the woodchip ground. He eyed his father, intently. He desperately wanted his dad to say ' _oh you have it all wrong you silly head. That hat of yours must clog your thoughts. This isn't my son, but my dear nephew. My real son is over yonder, fetching water. Ah, here he comes right now. See, that is my real son. Him, right there. That's my son._ ' Elodea's breathing became heavier, he'd wanted his father to desperately tell the woman that Gen isn't his son! Tell her!

Elodea loathed the words that came out of his father's mouth, "Interesting. When does it start?"

Elodea bit his tongue. Why didn't he tell her!? It's just a quick correction. What? Because they look alike, that makes them closer? Killua and Gen? Father and son? Is that what everyone sees when they look at them? A picture-perfect father and son playing together in the park. But what about when Elodea stands next to Killua. What do people see?

It's obvious…Its always so painfully obvious. It hurt him too much to even think about it. He remembered the looks he would get from people, surprised, confused, or even disbelieved. Answers ranged from, _'really, are you sure?" "you're joshing me." And even, "I'm calling the cops."_ Some people, were very ignorant.

He is his father's son, there is nothing _confusing_ about it. Ignorance was disgusting. But the pain spread seeds of doubt into his heart, and the roots are still growing.

The woman proceeded to talk about the race, the time and events for the fathers and sons to take part in. Elodea gritted his teeth as he threw away the empty water bottle, cracked from his tight grip. He waited until the woman left to walk back to them.

"Elodea," said Killua, "There's a relay race today, maybe you and Gen can participate together. I asked the woman, and she said it was okay."

"No thanks," Elodea mumbled.

"It will be fun. It's alright to take it easy on the other participants, if that's what your worried about. Let them win a few rounds," Killua laughed.

Elodea grabbed his phone and his earbuds, "I'm just going to listen to music. You two can do it together." Then he walked over to the park bench and sat down, underneath the shade of the sycamore tree. Drowning his sorrows in the world of music.

* * *

"Higher!" Gen shouted with glee.

"one…two…three!" Killua said, as he sprung Gen high up into the air and easily caught him when the child came falling back down. Killua let Gen down, as he wobbly tried to regain his balance. His eyes spun in circles.

"That. Was. Awesome!" When the world stopped spinning, he ran up to Elodea who was sitting on the park bench listening to music. Elodea lifted up his headphones to listen to his cousin, "Elodea, did you see that! How high I flew! It was amazing! You gotta go next! You just gotta!"

"No thanks Gen," Elodea said as he returned to his music.

Gen frowned. "Why not?"

Elodea said grumpily, "I'm too old for that kind of little kid stuff."

"Are you calling me a little kid?" Gen said as he stomped his foot angrily on the ground.

"I'm pretty sure that I am. Not as an insult or anything."

"You need to learn to have fun."

"Okay?" Elodea said, "I'll learn sitting here, listening to my music. You're a great teacher Gen, I can already tell that I'm learning lots of stuff." He plugged himself back into the musical world.

"Uncle Coal!" Gen whined, "Elodea's being sarcastic!"

"Ugh," Elodea groaned as he laid down on the bench, sliding a hand over his face, "leave dad out of this."

"What's wrong, boys?"

"Nothing." Elodea turned away from them.

A mischievous smile spread across Gen's face, from ear to ear. He energetically jumped up and gestured grandly with his arms. "Uncle Coal, make Elodea fly! He'll like it!" That will definitely make his cousin happy. He was sure of it.

"No. I won't." Elodea said, "He can't even do it anyway."

Suddenly, another mischievous smile spread, but not on Gen's face. It belonged to none other than Killua, "challenge accepted." He easily lifted up Elodea into his arms and carried him away from the sycamore tree to the open grass. He was going to toss him up high after all. He needed a free air zone to do so.

"What are you doing!?" Elodea shouted.

"Gen, tell me. How high up should I throw Elodea?" Killua paid no heed to his son.

"To the moon!" Gen said.

"Not to the moon! Not to the moon!" Elodea said, nervousness dripped in his voice. He looked up to see the pale, crescent moon in the sea of endless blue sky. It looked like it was smirking at him. The moon was ridiculing him, Elodea of sure of it. It was that he didn't want to be tossed like a ragdoll, but he knew that his father was certainly capable of throwing him up high…very high.

"Okay Elodea, are you ready?" Killua said as his aura intensified, bursting from his body. "one…two…"

"No! I'm not ready!"

Suddenly, Killua's aura diminished, the white steam vanished from his body. He turned to Gen and smirked, "Y'know what, he says he's not ready. So why force him?" Killua said, as he minimally placed Elodea back on his feet. Barely.

"Thanks," said Elodea, "I really appreciate-

It was too late. Killua's aura came back in a huge burst. Elodea already saw that look in his father's eyes, his fate was sealed, "three!"

Before Elodea knew it, he was soaring.

High, in the sky.

* * *

After what felt like a trip to and from the moon, Elodea felt refreshed and revived. Maybe it was from flying threw a couple of clouds that helped to unclogged this own mind, or passing by a flock of geese that helped to lift his spirits. He was positive that one goose looked at him and winked, rather flamboyantly. The illusion could have been due to the sudden difference in air pressure, but Elodea knew what he saw!

So, Elodea knew when he came falling back down into Killua's arms, he was laughing. That, and he had the urge to chase them both around the park several times. He succeeded with catching Gen, but his father was quick on his feet. Killua certainly knew how to brighten up his son.

Elodea's grumpiness was replaced with happiness, and he forgot all this sorrows while playing with his cousin. This was the time to be catching up with him, playing and having fun! He decided that he wouldn't waste a minute with the limited amount of time he has to spend with Gen.

They spent the rest of the day playing outdoors and when the sun retreated from the sky, they played indoors. They didn't stop there, from video games to watching movies to Elodea playing songs on the piano and Gen dancing around him. Gen had rhythm in his feet and Elodea had rhythm in his hands, and they showcased their skills, magnificently. While Killua watched, and listened from the sidelines, drinking his sugary coffee.

Finally, when they were all tuckered out, it was time to go to bed. Elodea could sleep easy tonight, but Gen huddled in Elodea's bed. (after their 'war' they signed a treaty with each other, even though they both crossed their fingers on the deal, no doubt it will cause turmoil in the future…anyway) Gen tossed and turned and whimpered and sniffled, madly. He was feeling homesick. He missed his dad tucking him in bed and his mom reading him a bed time story.

Killua tucked Gen in bed, but it wasn't the same. When Killua offered to tell a story, Gen slightly felt better.

"What do you want me to read?" Killua said, mentally scrolling through a list of fairy tales. Elodea used to like _jack and the bean stock_ the best, on account of all the funny voices Killua could make, especially for the giant…and the goose. Killua made a great goose.

"I have a book in my suitcase. Can you read that one?" Gen asked through his sniffles.

"Of course," said Killua. He rummaged through the bag, and easily found the book. When he looked at it, he quirked up an eyebrow. To be honest, he was expecting a glossy picture book, not an old, canvas textured, late edition of the play _Hamlet_. "Is this it?"

Gen nodded, "Can you read 'Act 3 scene 1 line 64' please?" He wiped his runny nose on his wrist.

Killua flipped through the pages and remembered that Alluka did say that Gen was an avid fan of Shakespeare. She had no idea where his fascination came from, considering she or Gon never brought it to Gen's attention in the first place. Gen said a friend told him about it and that he should read it. They asked him specifically who it was, but he said it was a secret.

"It has the yellow sticky on it."

"Hold your horses, I found it."

Elodea said, "how come you never read me Shakespeare?"

"I'd figured you wouldn't be interested in dead guys with revenge complexes." They weren't stories he wanted to tell his then 6 year old son who was afraid of the dark. Shakespeare could get really bloody and Killua didn't want to give Elodea nightmares.

"Those happen to be the best stories," Gen said.

"What about fairy tales? Cinderella, Pinocchio and Snow White?"

Gen scrunched up his nose and said, "The _Grimm's_ stories? They're kind of wishy-washy. If you know what I mean."

"…I don't think I do." Killua realized two things that night. One, everyone has their own tastes, to each their own. Two, Gen at the tender age of six, was cultured in the fine art of literature.

Elodea sat up in his bed, eager to listen. It's been a while since he's been told a bed time story.

Killua cleared his throat, and began, " _To be or not to be-that is the question._ "

Gen smiled.

Killua held the book in front of him, glancing down at the words then pushing the book down to his side as he walked gallantly across the room, as if he were an actor on stage, " _Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles."_

He was putting his all into his performance. He walked like a nobleman, shoulders back and spine straight with his head, snobbishly held up high. He conveyed the unrighteous turmoil held prisoner inside Hamlet's own heart. He spoke with such elegance and power, _to die to sleep to dream_ , rolled off his tongue with poise, it sounded like he, a mortal, was commanding the heavens, to grant him his every desire.

Then Killua thought that he should have taken up acting as a career instead of being a hunter. Hm? A career change did sound interesting. He cleared the thought from his mind when he finished the monologue. And scene! He was greeted with applause as he bowed to his audience, Elodea and Gen.

" _Bravo!_ " said Gen, clapping.

"Dad, I caught that all on camera." Elodea said, holding his phone. "You'd could audition for Broadway!"

"So where are my roses?" Killua said, oh-so snobbishly. The boys laughed.

"Here they are," Elodea said, as he tossed Killua a worn-out shoe. "I picked them from my garden this morning!"

"I can tell, they're fresh." Killua said, as he held up the shoe, "this is the culmination of my life's work. One day son, all this will be yours."

Elodea felt like his spleen was going to burst as he muffled his laughter in his pillow. Gen fell out of his bed, laughing hysterically.

Killua gallantly walked across the room, and accidentally stubbed his toe against the bed post, then he threw up his hands in frustration, continuing his act, "I can't work under these conditions."

They laughed for a bit longer, all three of them acting like overrated and overly dramatic actors. _What's my objective?_ They'd say as they placed a hand over their forehead, emotionally. _Line! Someone give me my line!_ Acting as if they are in a dire, crucial moment during rehearsal for the big and upcoming musical. _I demand my own dressing room,_ they'd say, snobbishly.

When heavy eyelids and drowsy yawns cascaded across the boys; Finally, they all said goodnight. Killua closed the lights and the door behind him. Leaving Elodea and Gen to dream, to sleep, to rest.

Elodea turned towards Gen, "Psst, Gen. Are you still awake?"

Gen sluggishly opened his eyes and mumbled somewhat of an incoherent answer. He was awake.

"One day, I'm going to go find my mom." Elodea smiled up at the ceiling, as Gen mumbled somewhat of a reply.

"Can I come too?"

"I couldn't imagine the trip without you."

Gen smiled with his eyes closed as his head laid on the pillow, it was so soft and made him so sleepy. "We can go on our very own adventures just like our dads did."

"We'll see the world."

"and travel to all sorts of different places. Wait, don't we have to be hunters first?"

Elodea sucked in his cheek, "probably."

"kay, but I want to take the exam with you. So, you got to wait for me, until I'm old enough."

"I'll wait." Elodea said, "we'll take the exam by storm. The committee won't even know what hit them."

"We'll be the first to pass!" Gen laughed, then said "Is it hard? The exam?"

"Only if you make it out to be." Elodea said, just referring to the type of mentally one should take for the exam. He was speaking from experience (kind of). Elodea was the first kid in history, scratch that, the first person in history to proctor the final phase of the 301st hunter exam, or any the exams to be precise. While not actually being a hunter himself. But from the stories of his father's exam, they were tough, gruesome, tricky, and even impossible. Only if you weren't prepared. You have to be well equipped with an open mind and wide range of skills. According to his father's words, that just made the person have a slightly better chance than those around them. Slightly.

Anyone can mess up, even the high and mighty fall from their pompous thrones. Crashing to the ground, face to face with their pawns. Then the king looks up, seeing a new face climb to the throne and claim it as their own. Sudden realization comes upon him, he has entered the ranks of those around him, no special and no different from the others. There is no crown to illuminate his head, only dust and dirt cover his palms from the fall. He stares up at the new king and kneels. He knows his place.

Practice. That's what makes the difference. Becoming a little better each time than you were before.

Gen fell asleep, dreaming of his soon to be amazing adventures with Elodea. Oh, the wonderful and exotic places they'll travel and the people they'll meet, together. Just the two of them. Gen fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Elodea closed his eyes and thought, _I'll find my mom and reunite my parents._ An image of the three of them painted in his head, his father, mother, and himself. The perfect family. His mother, with her black hair and purple eyes. She placed her hand on Elodea's shoulder, smiling. A loving gesture.

 _And people will stop thinking I'm different. I'll finally belong._

* * *

Killua leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling.

He rubbed a hand over his face. Was he tired? Was he frustrated? Was he worried? It was a little bit of all three.

He overheard the chat the boys had before they fell asleep. Anxiety rose in his throat.

Every lie he told, every story he made up to appease his son, every time he looked Elodea in the eyes and told him with calmness and serenity, what he said was _true_ , got to him.

The lies were sewing themselves in his bones. The lies were traveling throughout his blood. He was vomiting lies one by one and Elodea took them all to heart.

Killua opened his laptop, checking his inbox. He had an influx of emails, requests, and potential missions to sign up for.

But his mind wandered to his son's words, ' _I'm going to find my mom.'_ What if one day, Elodea actually goes out into the world to try and find her, an imaginary being. He'll be chasing a fantasy. He'll become desperate when he finds nothing, when he finds out the cold truth. Then what will happen?

Killua closed his laptop and breathed, heavily.

He's going to have tell Elodea the truth. One day. He heavily debated in his mind that he eventually should. But as long as it wasn't _today._

Always, _one day_.

And maybe the day would never show up, push it away as far into the future as possible. That was the beauty of _one day's_.

They never happen.

* * *

Diamond City was alive.

At night, the city was spontaneous. The casinos were filled with hearty contenders, escorting lady luck by their sides, determined on winning millions. The restaurants were bustling with youthful appetites, but not for the food. Flaunting. Flirting. Mingling.

Meeting new people.

Perhaps a lover.

A future spouse.

Or maybe even a soon to be ex. Who really knew? The unexpected was tempting. Impulsive decisions were thrilling. The night dwellers thrived off on being spontaneous.

A man was sitting far, far back in the lounge, the lights from the dance floor didn't even touch him. The dark shadows embraced him, in its icy grip. He watched the dancers and lovers and sweethearts and whatever-else-these-simple-creatures were have fun and be merry. He snickered.

"What is a handsome man such as yourself, isolating himself from the crowd?" the woman questioned. She wore a slick, black dress with long sleeves and an open slit in the front of the dress, revealing the olive color of her leg. She leaned forward, steadying herself with her left hand on the table. While her other hand traveled along the man's long, black hair. Strands glided across her fingers.

"Business."

"I don't take you as the scruffy, old type who sits behind a desk all day," she hungrily eyed him from top to bottom, his robust figure. Her eyes feasted upon the curvatures and bumps hidden behind somber colored clothes. She smirked. "I should leave, before your wife sees me." Yet, she didn't budge. Not even an inch.

He casually leaned back in his leather chair and crossed his legs, "she won't."

The woman flushed. She took that as a direct invitation to seat herself next to the man. She leaned against his shoulder. He didn't shy away.

"Why did you come to me?" He asked.

"You seemed like you could use the company."

"Thank you, you made my job all that more easier." He caressed her shoulder.

"You were already planning on coming to me? How bold." She giggled, although she seemed to be too old for giggling. Although he seemed too old for acting. "Tell me," she said, eagerly. Her eyes glittered with excitement, she had a fascination for new, exotic people. "What brings you to Diamond City?"

"I believe I have already said so."

"No one just comes for _business_."

"Well," he said, "If you insist, I was planning to visit my brother and nephew. If I have enough time to squeeze them in, that is."

Ah, a family man! How unexpected! "You should! I bet they miss every minute that you're away from them."

"I doubt that." He said, "I haven't seen them in years."

"Then your visit is overdue. You must see them as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible?"

"As soon as possible. Maybe even sooner."

"Thank you for your advice, but first," he said, his face inches away from hers. "I have business to attend to."

"What might that be?" She said, tantalized by the heat escaping from his breath.

He caressed his thumb over her glossy lips, "you."

They were hidden behind the shadows where the lights dared not touch them. No one could see the woman swooning in her seat. No one could see the man leaning forward to kiss her lips.

No one could see the spontaneous act of him slipping a needle through the back of her head.

Their lips barely touched, millimeters apart from each other. He let her corpse fall to the ground without even lifting a finger to stop it. He sneered at the corpse laying at his feet.

 _Madeline Nojoff_

She was thirty years old. A party girl. Got involved with a few bad men who had bad reputations, but that didn't stop her from playing with their hearts. They were clay in her hands.

The worst mistake of her life was getting involved with Nicholas Amack, who was associated in the shark loaning business, huge loans with high interest rates. That no man, woman, or child could ever pay back in their or their descendants lifetimes. He was a man feared by the all mafia. But he was also a softy.

He was looking for love and he thought he found it with Madeline. He thought wrong.

When the excitement fizzled out of the relationship, mostly from Madeline's perspective. She quickly ended the affair. He begged her to stay, he'd even offered to leave his wife, who was also two timing on him.

Madeline barely batted her eyelashes, moved on to the next exciting man in her life, and broke Nicholas's heart in the process. Although, she didn't stay long enough to fully understand his character.

Nicholas was a vengeful spirit. His heart once poured out endless love for his sweet, sweet Madeline. Now it seeped with burning hatred. She'd left him to rot in his sorrows without a second thought, as she continued to parade throughout Diamond City with an open heart. A heart full of love.

He despised her for what she did to him. So, he hired a Zoldyck to stop the beat of her _loving_ heart once and for all.

Illumi opened his book and wrote in the date, hour, and time he completed the job. Now he just had to get Nicholas to sign the receipt and deposit the money in his bank account. Plus, he'd had to meet with each client post assassination to remind them of the tedious 'no refund' policy.

Some people just didn't understand that this wasn't a refundable business. You can't just stick a heart back into a corpse and expect it to revive again. People were so oblivious to the technicalities of the business. If people refused to pay, which was seldom, the Zoldycks reminded them of their respectable business far exceeding five generations of assassins; plus, all clients were required to sign a waiver before the job was taken into account. If they didn't pay after the job, they would meet the same fate as their targets.

Everyone paid in full.

He looked in his book again. He was also hired, by another Mafioso, to assassinate Nicholas. He's going to have to do that after Nicholas's deposits the money into his back account. Right.

Illumi huffed and eyed the corpse again. A job was a job, but he hated being involved in lover's quarrels. It was his least favorite.

Love was a fickle thing. It was a special kind of stupidity in his opinion. It made people do the unspeakable against the better part of their judgement. He knew the illness very well, it happened to his younger brother. There should really be a cure for things kinds of things.

And he found one.

Illumi stuffed the book back into his jacket pocket and glanced at his watch. He was swamped. He had a long list of jobs to complete. And this Madeline one took a bit longer than expected. He was a very engrossed _business man._

As Illumi was about to leave, he thumped his fist against his hand, "Your right. I should visit my brother and nephew. It's been long overdue."

The corpse didn't respond.

"But not as I am now. I have to change first." His invention was finally complete, no longer the unstable prototype it used to be. It was time to put it to good use. It was well overdue.

The corpse of Madeline said nothing.

Illumi turned around and sneered, "see what has happened you. _Love_ did this to you. Not me. I'll never understand why it is endlessly pursued by your kind then thrown away at the drop of a hat. It's such an infectious thing." He checked his watch, "Well, I wasted enough time here. Time to go."

He adjusted his cufflinks, calmly. Then sauntered out of the club, as if nothing happened at all. Later that night, the streets were swarmed with police cars and ambulances. Red, blue and white lights flashed throughout the panicked stricken area, shimmering off the water fountains and windows. Yellow tape closed off the streets of the recent crime scene of the mysterious murder of Madeline Nojoff.

The women who wore glittering gowns with bright smiles now turned into frowns and tears and cries. The men who wore sparkling watches and cufflinks, lost millions and spiraled down into depression. The city became stagnant and lifeless.

Not everything that glitters in Diamond City is gold.

* * *

 **HI! Thank you so much for reading! What did you think?**

 **Okay, so far we're getting a closer look at Elodea's internal conflict and his insecurities. What do you think? How do you think things will play out in the future, especially will Illumi on the prawl in Diamond City? What do you think of Elodea and Gen together? and what do you think of Gen's fascination with Shakespearean literature? XD (just keep this thought in the back of your mind, on the mysterious person Gen was referring to who told him about the lit...just keep it in the back of your mind) And what is Illumi thinking? And the pizza bagels! You guys should try them :D They are easy to make and are incredibly delicious!**

 **For some reason, I have this strange urge to write about the Zoldyck's accountant. Never before has managing money been so dangerous! lol**

 **What did you think about this chapter? I'm eager to know XD**

 **Okay, so school is starting and I don't know when I'll get a chance to update... Maybe one chapter a month will be doable? I'll try my best! OSU! Anyway, thank you so much for faving, following, reading and reviewing! You are all awesome!**

 **See you next time! Bye!**


	24. Chapter 22: Big x as the x Sky

**(This chapter has been revised)**

 **Chapter 22: Big x as the x Sky **

Elodea rubbed his face, sluggishly, starting from his chin to his forehead. Trying to wipe away the remnants of slumber. He blinked his eyes a few times, sand like specks laid in the corner of his eyes.

He turned his head to the side.

He saw Gen. Fast asleep and snoring. Peacefully. Mostly snoring though. Elodea turned his head towards the nightstand, eyeing the digital clock. Bright red numbers beamed from the contraption. He squinted his eyes. It was 5:45 AM. Technically it was still night time, it wasn't quite dawn yet. That's what he was waiting for.

Since he was already awake. He might as well get up. Quietly, Elodea slowly removed his covers and swung his legs out of bed. Barely making a squeak out of the wooden floor boards. He looked over to Gen, who was still asleep, then proceeded to tip toe to his dresser. What he needed was a good pair of socks. Not flimsy or thin, but a thick pair, but not slippery either. Elodea was picky when it came down to measly details.

He picked a pair that was thick and covered up the bottom of his ankles. Before he left his room, he noticed that Gen kicked off his blanket, and was huddled in the center of his bed, shivering.

Before Elodea left, he picked up the blanket and gently tossed it over Gen. He looked less cold now.

Elodea navigated down the hall and into the living room, passing by framed photos of him and his father.

Finally, when he made it into the living room. He sighed with pleasant relief. From across the room, he admired the beauty of his keyboard. The keyboard was bought for him, none other by his father, at a pawn shop six years ago. It was that same day at the conference hall, an exposition for all kinds of hunters, that he fell in love with music. Specifically, the piano. The pianist whom he heard played it, mesmerized him. Her style was graceful, it was elegant, it told a story.

It was something he wanted to emulate himself.

Even though he never got a chance to know her name, he barely even membered her face, but he remembered her hands. How they practically floated across the keys with precision and speed. He was eternally grateful to hear her play.

He touched the plastic keys of his own. There were smudge marks and scratches from years of overuse. The power button didn't even work properly either. So, in his endeavors he learned a few tricks to get it to turn on. One could hold the button down for several seconds and pray that it turns on, or jamming your thumb on the button giving it a powerful force to wake up too. And if that doesn't work. Go underneath the keyboard and manually open the power box yourself. There should be a blue and red wire, just don't touch the green one, who knows what that one even does.

The keyboard was starting to get old, the sound became more incoherent, and sometimes the keys would stick. Elodea's dream is to someday own his very own baby grand piano. The slick black kind, with a leather bench and high quality chords that sound as if they were tuned by angels.

Elodea pressed the power button and, miraculously, it instantly turned on for him. He laid his fingers on the keys and played a C major chord with his thumb and index finger. He smiled. It may be old and slightly broken, but it was his own and he was glad to have it.

He sat down in the foldable metal chair and positioned his foot on the pedal. It was better to wear socks than go barefoot, or else the plastic pedal would stick to his skin and it was harder to play.

He plugged in his earphones into the keyboard, in order not to disturb anyone with the sound. Plugged into his own world. Then he got his hands into position. He already knew what he wanted to play, the score was lodged into his muscle memory, even to the point of playing it with his eyes closed. But he prefers to see what he's doing. You never know when you might accidentally play a sour note, sending a chill down your spine then grimace unpleasantly because of it.

His hands hovered above the keys, barely caressing them. They were faint, tender touches.

In the silence of the room, before dawn breaks, he let his mind clear. He leaned back against his seat, then forward again letting the magic begin.

Faded blue light began to peak through the window as he began to play "Once Upon a December," a sweet lullaby. Carried along with an enchanting melody that made him feel as if he was waking up with world. Or maybe, he was responsible for waking it up? Both were enchanting thoughts.

He couldn't feel more at bliss than in this moment of solitude.

As time began to progress at a rate much faster when people are having fun. Elodea realized that was no longer alone in the living room. His bubble of solitude popped, but he didn't mind the company.

His father sat down on the couch across from him. Holding a mug of piping hot coffee with an abundance of cream and sugar and again, a little more cream than necessary. Was there ever such a thing as too much cream? If you have ever met anyone that said otherwise, they are lying. Point blank.

Killua gestured towards his ears and, immediately, Elodea unplugged his headphones from the keyboard. Allowing the music to spread all across the room, for an audience of two.

Killua smiled, and happily sipped his coffee as he heard his son playing sweet music.

Elodea spoke while he played, "Dad, do I have to train today?" Elodea always, rain or shine, had a morning regime he had to complete. A very tedious training regime that bores him out of his mind. If he had a choice, he's rather sit at his keyboard all day.

"Not today," Killua said, his voice, husky. He took another sip of coffee then spoke. "Just spend time with Gen."

Elodea felt a wave a sunshine overcome him. No training!? Gen definitely needs to come around more often. Every day, if that's possible.

"Don't get carried away," said Killua. "You'll make up for lost time later."

"I know," Elodea pouted as he plucked the keys.

"But a vacation is nice, here and then." Killua said, as he placed a mug of coffee on the table for Elodea when he was ready to drink it. It was a cup of plain, black coffee, with one sugar cube. Just how Elodea likes it. (If one were to add two cubes instead of one, Elodea would say that it's just too sugary for him to handle.)

"Thank you," Elodea happily drank his coffee and sat down on the couch, crisscrossing his legs. "Whenever I drink coffee, I think of Whale Island."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know, but I always remembered that I would wake up to the smell of coffee over there. Aunt Mito would brew a batch in the morning when she was cranky, and sometimes in the afternoon when she was cranky, and at night, when she got cranky again." Elodea just realized what he said and thought to himself why his aunt was always cranky. Eh, she did have a lot of responsibilities and that was enough to make a person irritable… Anyway.

"When Gon and I were kids, we'd help out with some of the chores. And there was one chore, we unanimously hated. Y'know how coffee is one of the exports there. The beans get shipped to Whale Island to be grounded up and dried and then shipped out again. But some stays. Since Mito runs her own tavern, Gon and I had the task of grinding up the beans and laying them out to dry."

"Did you use a machine?"

"We did it the old-fashioned way. We used a mortar and pestle to grind the beans by hand. After we'd grinded them, we laid then all out on a tarp, letting them bake under the sun." Killua shook his head in dismay, "but the worst part was the crows. They loved coffee."

Elodea laughed.

"You try defending an acre of precious valuables from these relentless birds. It was like a scene out of _The Birds_." Killua shivered. "We guarded them with our lives since Gon and I were more scared of Mito's wrath than those crows."

"Why did you have to leave them under the sun? Couldn't you have baked them in an oven or something?"

Killua leaned back and crossed his arms, thinking, "why did we not use an oven?" He muttered to himself. "I think it was because the rays from the sun, naturally released a chemical, giving the coffee a different, more richer taste rather than baking them in an oven. Maybe. I could be wrong. Then after that we packaged them in cans and baggies, where they would be sold in Mito's tavern."

"I love Aunt Mito's coffee!" Elodea gushed.

"Don't give her all the credit. It was prepared and hand packed by yours truly," Killua patted himself on the back. "I think we still have a package in the cabinet."

"Really?"

"Do you want some?"

"Yes, please." Elodea said, bashfully.

"I'll show you how to brew it too, my way."

"The old-fashioned way?"

"The best way," Killua corrected.

Killua and Elodea fiddled in the kitchen, brewing coffee. The bitter smell of the caffeine filled the air, tingling their noses and filling their lungs with the powerful brew.

There was also nostalgia, and a powerful dose of it too. For Elodea, it was the fond memories of playing on the front porch while Granny Freecs was swaying back and forth in her rocking chair, and running along the beach while the waves crashed against the shore. For Killua, it was fond memories of his youth, back when he just a young boy. Playing, fishing, climbing through the mountains and woods on whale island with his best friend.

Soon, a very tired and sluggish Gen walked through the kitchen door. Yawning and rubbing the sand away from his eyes. He even held his favorite blankie close to him, tight. "Goo mor-ing," He yawned as he slowly maneuvered to the table. Gen wrinkled his nose to the smell of coffee. He much preferred hot chocolate.

Elodea knew Gen's tastes and passed him a cup of hot chocolate with several fluffy marshmallows floating on the surface. Gen mumbled a thank you, as best as he could.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Killua said as he set a plate full of freshly chopped fruit on the table. Then Killua remembered he wanted to ask Gen a question, "Gen, you were chatty this morning, who were you talking to?"

Gen concealed his smile in his blankie and giggled, "nobody." Killua quirked up an eyebrow, curiously. Him and Elodea were together for most of the morning, leaving Gen alone, sleeping in bed. Or at least he thought he was sleeping in bed. But then later, Killua heard little murmurs and one sided conversations.

Elodea whispered between sips of his coffee, "he has an imaginary friend."

"No I don't," Gen retorted, angrily. "All my friends are real."

"Woah, calm down. Here, have a bowl of oatmeal."

"With blueberries?"

"with blueberries," Killua nodded.

Uncle, son, and nephew sat down at the table, sipping their drinks of choice and enjoying each other's company. Who could ever ask for more.

* * *

"This is horrible. This is horrendous. This is…this is…I can't go on." Gen flopped down on the couch, smothering his face on a cushion.

The television was on, and both boys were fervently watching the international swimming competition. This year's contenders from Saherta were a force to reckon with, and Gen was of course their number one fan. He cheered when they were ahead and booed when an athlete from a rival team got the best of them. But, the program has gone to commercial break and he was no longer paying attention to the screen. He was upset for an entirely different reason.

"I don't see the problem here," said Elodea. "Nothing has changed."

"What do you mean _nothing has changed_?! Of course, it has! Everything has changed!"

Elodea shook his head, "I beg to differ."

"But weren't you shocked when you found out?"

"Not really." Elodea said, "I had a hunch for some time now, but honestly, it actually makes a lot of sense."

"What do you mean?" Gen looked up from his cushion, leaving a nice impression of his face on it.

"There were just so many clues that couldn't have been ignored. It doesn't even make much of a difference to me, now that I know. You should too." Elodea said as he plopped a cucumber slice into his mouth.

"No! I won't accept it, you can't make me." Gen said, "Lunch time will never be the same again!"

"Gen," said Elodea, "who cares that pickles are really salted cucumbers?"

"I do!" said Gen, "Cucumbers are disgusting!"

Elodea bit into another slice of the fruit and pretended to swoon in his seat, "MMH!" He has officially died and gone to heaven.

"Eeeeeewww," Gen remarked as he jumped off the couch, "I'm going to uncle Coal and make him make you apologize."

"For what?" Elodea mused.

"For lying. Pickles are delicious and cucumbers are not. They are not the same."

"But they are the same."

Gen held his hands up, "I can't deal with liars."

"Fine, let's get dad to settle this. Follow me, nonbeliever." Elodea, gladly, led Gen into Killua's study to bring an end to this extremely controversial conspiracy theory.

As soon as they entered the study, Gen rushed to Killua's side and tattle tailed on Elodea. Although Gen didn't receive a response.

Elodea, walked over and waved his hand over Killua's face and even snapped his fingers. Even from the sound of his aura, Elodea could easily tell the state of his father.

He was asleep. Out cold to be precise.

Gen frowned, "no fair."

Elodea should have known; his dad likes to take the occasional siesta now and then. He slept a lot more lately, now that Elodea thought about it.

Gen poked his uncle a few times, hopefully to wake him up. Nope. Killua did snore a bit, and that was as much of a response they could get out of him.

Then Elodea looked down at his bowl of sliced cucumbers, and back at his dad, then back down at his bowl again. A smile spread across his lips. He had an idea.

The mischievous kind.

Elodea, delicately, placed a cucumber slice on Killua's right eye, then on his left.

Gen giggled. Then he caught onto Elodea's plan and wanted to take part of it himself. Why should Elodea hog all the fun? Suddenly, Gen scurried out of the study and brought back a can of whipped cream.

"You're brilliant," said Elodea.

Soon, after the boys finished. They were interrupted from their prank when they heard the national anthem play on the television. Commercial break was over and the games would resume. So, they set the whipped cream down on the desk and decided that they would come back and clean up their mess when the first lap was over.

After the first lap was over, they said they would go clean up the mess after the second lap.

Then they said the same about the third.

Then about the fourth.

Then they just forgot.

Oh, how they doomed themselves from the very beginning. Because they simply forgot.

* * *

Gen laid on the ground with his hands supporting his head, and kicking his legs in the air. Elodea sat next to him on the ground as they were watching the women's relay. So far, the men's competition ended with Saherta in the lead, and NGL in last place.

As the camera zoomed in on the athletes and the announcer broadcasting the athletes' names and remarkable achievements. The camera zoomed in on an athlete from nonother than Saherta.

Gen spoke up, "I like her eyes."

"Yeah."

"and her lips."

Elodea slowly turned his head towards Gen and quirked up an eyebrow, surprised and slightly uncomfortable. Feeling like he had a responsibility to contribute to the conversation. Elodea said, "Um…I like…her elbows?"

Suddenly, the floor panels squeaked and the boys turned their heads to the source of the sound. It was in this moment of their lives, that they realized the grave, grave mistake they made out of boredom, mischievousness, and a considerably poor amount of judgement and lack thereof.

The air from their lungs was sucked out of their bodies, as they saw Killua standing in between the doorway, silently.

Before fluffy, now liquid cream dripped down his face, and his neck. His chest heavily breathed in and out. Killua held a can of whipped cream in one hand and a bottle of chocolate syrup in the other. He uncapped them both with the flick of his thumbs.

He has come back for revenge. And it will be served.

"Elodea, come here. I want to tell you something."

Elodea fumbled, already preparing to run, "Nah, I'm good thanks."

"I just want to tell you something," Killua said as he shook the can of whipped cream.

"Evasive maneuver!" Elodea shouted as he tossed a cushion at Killua, then preceded to jump behind the couch. Which didn't work in his favor. Killua was going after him first. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Elodea said as he ran like a deer in headlights.

"You don't mean that!" Killua retorted.

Elodea thought, _he's right._

Finally, Killua got a hold of Elodea and handed Gen the bottle of chocolate syrup as he shook the can. "Hold this."

"Yup!"

Elodea was baffled, "Gen, who's side are you on!?"

"I'm impartial."

No more than a few seconds, Elodea could qualify as an ice-cream Sunday with a cherry on top. He thought to himself that maybe he did deserve the outcome. He wiped away the cream that covered his eyes, then remembered to get back at his dad later. Gen was a little more complacent, he was more than happy to turn into a chocolate covered dessert.

As these carefree and lighthearted days passed and passed, until there were very few of them left. Time had the duty of making things seem slower or faster to one's perception, that's its incredible illusion. It had the wonderful scheme to fast forward to the last day before Gen and Elodea would have to say goodbye.

That's what time does best.

* * *

They were having dinner at 1:30 in the afternoon.

It was an odd time for a large supper, but a very convenient time. Because Gon and Alluka finally returned from their business trip and to pick up Gen and return home the same day. And the flight back to Saherta cut their visiting hours short. And so, they celebrated Elodea's thirteenth birthday a few days early so they can all be together.

The restaurant wasn't crowded at all. Technically, it wasn't even supposed to be open at this hour, since it's more of a late-night establishment, but with the perks of being a hunter, anything is possible. (Plus, this is the only restaurant that serves chocolate and raspberry cake smothered with sugar coated almonds, Elodea's favorite.)

Gen wanted to be the first one to give Elodea his gift that he's worked so hard to make. It was a play. Written, produced, directed, and most importantly starred nonother than Gen himself. The play was about five to six pages, if that included the last page being a doodle of Elodea with _HAPPY BIRTHDAY!_ Written all around him. Then it counted as six pages. The play was about an astronaut-football player-king in space! (hence Gen multitasking at his finest) His goal was to arrange all the stars in the galaxy to spell out _happy birthday_ for Elodea (hence the sixth page).

Elodea loved it and thanked Gen for writing him a masterpiece!

When Elodea unwrapped Killua's gift, he was stoked from what he's gotten. Maybe, this kind of gift is not on the wish list of other thirteen-year old's, but it was number 1 on Elodea's.

It was a collection bound book of all the music scores produced in the _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie series. Elodea flipped through the book, from musical scores of _The Black Pearl_ to _He's a Pirate_ to _Drink up Me Hearties._ The melodies from the songs were so intricate. When Elodea first heard them he tried to recreate them himself, but found it to be quite tricky without the music sheet in front of him.

Gen eagerly looked into the book and discovered very quickly that it did not impress him at all. Not in the slightest. This book was comprised of an abundance of lines and dots. There weren't even any words just the occasional, _mf_ or _ff_ or _mp_. Whoever wrote this, obviously cannot spell. What a rip off.

"Thank you, dad! I LOVE YOU!" Then Elodea looked over towards an empty piano sitting, unnominated, next to the bar. "Can I?"

"I would be offended it you didn't."

Elodea practically jumped up from the table and immediately arranged the score on the piano. He adjusted the seat and placed is foot on the pedal, making sure everything was in place.

A server came around to the table and noticed the boy sitting at the piano, preparing to play. The server mentally prepared himself to cover his ears, kids these days never knew how to play classical instruments. "Is he good?" The server asked, squinting his eyes laced with skepticism.

Killua shrugged, "Eh, he's okay." That's all he said.

The server nodded and turned towards the boy who started to play. He immediately gawked from what he heard. He almost even dropped his tray of glasses and dishes.

Where was he even working at? A restaurant or a concert hall? For a moment, he thought he worked in the latter.

It's impossible to look at a person and immediately recognize their talents. And it is also impossible to look at a little kid, such as Elodea, and know that he has a gift for playing the piano. It helps that he is incredible at sight-reading scores and has pitch-perfect hearing too; and it was even better that it all flows out from his hands. That he can recreate the music he loves.

Most of all, he has his family for encouraging him to play.

The server reluctantly retreated to the kitchen, with a tray full of dirty dishes.

* * *

Elodea sat on the couch, with his laptop open. Since everything that's happened, he's kind of fallen behind on his school work. There was that one Spanish assignment and that one math quiz and that history article he had to read and answer questions on... So he missed a few of his online deadlines…oh god...he needs to complete them now or else he'll get a grade even lower than an F. What's lower than an F? Elodea closed his eyes shut and breathed. He doesn't want to find out.

He typed away on his laptop the answers to several math equations using the quadratic formula. Algebra wasn't so bad, but it was geometry that he feared. Ah, there is no time to think about circles and squares and radii and diameters. He has to finish this one quick, so he can start his Spanish homework. Mas rapido!

Gen nonchalantly walked into the room, wheeling his suitcase behind him. He plopped it down on the ground, unzipped it, then walked over to Elodea and closed his laptop.

Elodea's eye twitched, " _Oh sure_ , go ahead. I wasn't doing anything _important_ on there."

"Good," said Gen, as he gestured down towards the empty suitcase. "Get in."

"What?"

Gen tugged on Elodea's arm, "You're coming with me. Now hurry, before they see you. There's enough room for you between my toothbrush and PJ's."

Elodea stared down at the suitcase. Hm. An potential escape from his homework. No, no, no. He cleared his mind and spoke with sincerity, "One, you have touched my heart. Two, even though I like that idea as much as you do, are there any holes in there? How am I supposed to breathe?"

Gen stared down at the suitcase. Huh. Breathing. He didn't think of that… It's just a minor setback that can be fixed. "But I don't want to leave you." Gen said, teary eyed. "I'll miss you."

"Don't worry Gen. We'll see each other again."

"But," Gen's lip quivered. "I don't want to wait that long."

Elodea frowned because neither did he. He looked down towards his wrist, which was adorned with a black bracelet woven from the bark of the trees hidden dip within the forests of Whale Island. The bark is stripped down from the trees and they are used to make ropes and nets for the fishing boats. "Give me your hand."

Elodea untied the bracelet and fastened it securely on Gen's wrist. Gen looked at it as if it was made of gold, shimmering with brilliance.

"Now, you'll always have a bit of my awesomeness with you."

"I'm awesome?"

"You are awesome."

"Elodea," said Gen, "I love you. I love you as big as the sky." He gestured grandly with his small arms.

"I love you too, as big as the sky."

They embraced, but time stops for no one.

The Freecs family said their goodbyes, with lots of hugs and kisses and promises to meet up again.

And just like that. The moment they first arrived was as swift as the moment they left.

Time is cruel, but it is beautiful.

What an unfortunate paradox.

* * *

Crickets chirped in the dark, as the moonlight dimly illuminated the land.

Elodea knocked and hesitantly opened the door to Killua's study. He peeked through and saw his father talking on the phone.

Killua waved for Elodea to come in, and he did. He quietly entered while Killua spoke, "Alright. I'll be on standby."

Elodea sat on the couch, crisscrossed. He eyed the room around him. It was rather plain, and there weren't that many decorations either. Just a few photos that would have to be taken down, when they will pack and leave to go to a new place. All over again.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you. Goodbye." He set the phone done back on its base.

"What was that about?" Elodea asked, excitedly. "Was it for another mission?"

"Yes, but I don't think we're going to be involved in this one."

Elodea pouted. "Oh, that's too bad."

"You like going on missions with me?"

"You have the coolest job in the world. You know that right."

"Sometimes I forget."

"What was it for? Are we going to explore a far-off land, capture dangerous criminals, or save an entire country from unexpected and mysterious phenomena?" Elodea oozed excitement as he leaned over the leather arm of the couch.

Killua smiled and swiveled in his seat, "Pest control."

Elodea slumped back, confused. "Pest control?"

"That's the most basic way I can describe it. I don't want to get your hopes up because we probably won't get involved."

"Ah, I get it. This is obviously major-top-secret-government stuff." Elodea said, nodding to himself. Then he whispered, "You can tell me. I'm good at keeping secrets."

 _Secrets._

"I'm not saying anymore." Killua said. He hesitated for a couple of seconds then quickly rebounded when he eyed Elodea's wrist, "What happened to your bracelet."

"I gave it to Gen."

"Lucky duck."

"I can't wait to see my cousin again. Two weeks is honestly not enough time."

 _My cousin_

"Elodea," said Killua as he cleared his voice, "I want to quickly mention something. Don't think too much about it, okay."

"Yeah sure." Elodea smiled.

"I love you and that will never change."

"Dad, are you disowning me or something?" Elodea laughed. "Is this because I had the last slice of chocolate raspberry cake?"

"Not in the slightest-wait, what. That, was you?" Killua said, baffled. "I thought Gon took it."

Elodea fumbled with his sleeves, "I thought you didn't want it."

"I was saving it for later."

"Well, it was really good."

Killua breathed, "You're lucky it's your birthday or I would disown you. Anyway. Anyway." He brushed the cake topic away. "This is probably, no I deliberately delayed telling you this, I should have told you sooner, please, don't let this change things, please…"

"Dad, it's okay." Elodea said, calmly. "Whatever it is you have to say, I can handle it."

"I want to tell you, because you deserve to know, that…" Killua looked into Elodea eyes, shimmering with innocence. Honesty. Love. Admiration. And all of that could break and crumble into a millions pieces because of one lie. One selfish lie told over and over again for selfish reasons. Killua was stunned, paralyzed in place.

"Yeah, dad." Elodea prompted. In a split second, Killua made his decision. A cowardly decision.

" _The Godfather Part III_ is a pathetic excuse for a movie and it should have never been made. It does not live up the legacy of the Great Don Corleone."

Elodea stood up, fervently. "Take that back!"

"Sadly, I cannot. I don't know what Coppola was thinking, but he did a horrible job directing the movie."

"Coppola beautifully depicted the contrast between the old and new worlds. As Michael Corleone struggled between protecting his family and the high cost of business. And you call yourself a fan."

"It just didn't hit home with me."

"Yeah no, I'm not accepting this." Elodea said as he went over to the cabinet, revealing a TV set with a small stack of DVD's, one of them being the same movie Killua just committed blasphemy against.

"I'm telling you, it could have been better."

"Sit down on this couch, and we're going to watch this movie from the very beginning." Elodea said, his eyes encased with determination. "But first, I'm going to get popcorn."

"Can you make mine with extra butter?" Killua chimed.

"Fine!"

The movie played when they both had their buttery snacks in hand. As the scenes played, they laughed, they held their breaths in anticipation, they cried, Killua fast-forward and even held up his hand in front of Elodea's eyes during _certain scenes_.

Killua smiled and thought to himself, that he wanted more of these moments with his son. He doesn't want them to end so soon. He could wait a little longer to tell Elodea.

Just a little longer. If time would allow him.

He would make it so.

* * *

Diamond City was an interesting spectacle.

One day, while Elodea was walking through town, he spotted an old antique shop. This shop was peculiar for quite a few reasons, not only because the owner seemed to have several screws loose in his head, he was a nice fellow, but he as a tab bit wacky. The shop had a plethora of old and used instruments, which were still in perfect shape to play.

Elodea found the place by accident when he saw a baby grand piano in front of the shop, he began to play it and acquired the owner's attention in the process.

So here and then, in a way to kill time, Elodea taught piano to the seldom amount of customers that would aimlessly wonder into the shop. Of course, he would get a far share of the profits.

The shop keeper, Wilburton is his name, plopped a box onto the counter. His back was hunched over and the hair on his head has been missing for well over thirty sum years. He even refuses to be called a senior citizen, despite always taking advantage of the early bird specials at his local diner. "It seems as if we got another donation of old music sheets, from some torn down church or candy factory or something. Can you organize these?"

"Of course," Elodea laid out the sheets and paper clicked the songs that belonged with each other. He recognized hymns and prayers and very old classical music scores. But then he came across a very odd looking score. The paper was thick, made out of canvas. The tone of the sheet wilted into a moldy yellow color, from many years of air exposure. The edges were frayed and the paper was even folded down the middle. Gosh, this looks like it belongs in a museum.

Elodea emptied the whole box and wasn't even able to find the continuing page or pages that belonged to this exotic piece.

Then he looked at the notes. It was beyond bizarre. These were the funkiest chords he's ever seen in his entire life. Every measure was composed of triads and trills and arpeggios of the oddest combinations of sour and bitter notes. He tried to play the song in his head, carrying along the melody, but he grimaced at the thought. It actually gave him a headache.

"This one doesn't have any more pages," Elodea said, as he eyed the paper, intrigued.

"You can take if you like. Since it's an incomplete piece."

"It's okay, if I can take it."

Wilburton laughed, "trust me boy, it won't be missed."

Elodea placed the music sheet on top of the piano, positioning it on the stand. Then he muttered the name of the piece, quietly to himself, "The Dark Sonata." Hm? It was a very interesting name, he's never heard of this piece before.

Elodea got his hands into position, and read the first chord of the first measure, it was another funky chord and it didn't make any sense.

He lifted his fingers and leaned towards the piano. What would it sound like? He wondered.

The bell attached to the front door chimed.

A customer entered the shop! How rare!

Elodea rose up from his bench and decided that he would try to play the song another time. A man dressed in a simple white button up shirt and black overalls, slowly walked into the shop. Supporting himself with his cane. Suddenly, his legs staggered as he tripped over the up lifted tiles. Wilburton neglected to have them fixed. Although he did write a memo to call someone to fix them, but that was five months ago.

Elodea immediately rushed to the man's side. "Are you alright? Let me help you."

"I'm fine, thank you. Excuse me of my clumsiness," The man said, supporting his weight on his silver cane. "I heard that this shop offers piano lessons, is that true?"

"Yes sir, I teach them." Elodea said, as he pulled over a bench to one of the piano's. "Have you've ever played before or is this your first time."

The man laughed, "Well, I used to play when I was a kid, but I haven't touched the piano since them. I'm incredibly rusty."

"Then I know the perfect piece you can start with." Elodea said as he rummaged through pages of a beginner's book, full of nursery rhymes. Through the corner of his eyes, he saw the man again. He had a cane with him, but he looks too young to succumb to the aches and pains of old age, and his aura was something else too. It was so quiet, Elodea could barely hear it. It was as if his ears were stuffed with cotton. He couldn't make out a distinct sound. "You'll be playing like Bach in no time."

"I wouldn't push the envelope that far. I was never good to begin with."

"With enough practice, anyone can be good."

"You make it sound easy. I'm guessing you're an advanced player."

"I'm okay," Elodea shrugged.

"and humble as well. Please teach me, but I can't promise any significant progress."

Elodea kept a log book of all the lessons he gave, he wrote in the date and time, then his hand hovered over the paper, stuck. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. Mine is Elodea."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Elodea. I look forward to working with you."

Elodea readied his pen and looked up at the man. Maybe if Elodea knew his circumstances, if he knew the imminent danger ahead of him; he would have acted differently. If he knew, he would have fled and never show his face in Diamond City again. That was only if he knew, but he didn't. He was naïve and innocent to the dangers of the world that he thought was so kind and loving. The man parted his lips and spoke.

"Illumi."

Time, cruel and beautiful, sides with no one.

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you so much for reading! And I just want to say that I'm sorry because I feel like this chapter isn't really that good. I feel like it picks up more at the end. But I just wanted to get some points across, like the father and son moments and that Elodea loves playing the piano. The songs that he played are all on YouTube; Once upon a December (from the Anastasia movie) and the POTC scores . And if you watch "kylelandry" piano videos on YouTube, if you want a visual, that's how Elodea plays.**

 **So I feel like a lot of things got boring...Hopefully you guys liked it? What did you guys think? Please review, pretty please with a cherry on top :D**

 **Okay, some things that I guess I liked? I threw in A LOT of red herrings. (I probably ticked some of you off) But I guess that says something about my personality LOL**

 **I wanted this chapter to be light hearted because the next one is not so much light hearted, and things will be further explained in the next chapter because I feel like I just left you all with a very confusing cliffhanger...**

 **I'm sorry for ranting and thank you for READING, faving, following, and reviewing! It brightens up my day and it means the world to me! Tell me what you thought, whether you liked it...Illumi's encounter with Elodea...or preferred to watch paint dry...**

 **See you next time!**

 **Bye!**


	25. Chapter 23: The x Water x Weed

**3/18/17 First I uploaded this chapter...then I deleted it...then I uploaded it again...I'm sorry, but I'm feeling with self-conscious about this chapter...**

* * *

 **Attention: I recommend buckling in your hypothetical seatbelts to this hypothetical roller coaster of a story because its going to be a WILD ride. Thank you.**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: The x Water x Weed **

Today's the day.

Killua rummaged through the kitchen as he laid out dozens of pots and pans and utensils across the counter and stove top. He mopped the floors that were already sparkling clean. He vacuumed the carpets that were already lint free. Not to mention, he did the laundry that already smelled like the indoors of a homey convenient store. And all before noon! What a productive day!

Killua woke up exceptionally early, but not for the purpose of eagerly pursuing the infinite joys of spring cleaning. He was frantic. He was nervous. Today is that _one day_. Today, he would tell Elodea the truth. There was no backing out of it. He wouldn't allow himself too.

Until then, he had to keep himself busy. Before he knew it, he was ironing his socks. Since when does he even iron his socks? Since when did he have an iron?

Over and over again in his head, he was rehearing what he had to say. Over and over again.

"Shit!" He yelped as he immediately lifted the steaming, hot iron off of his freshly singed pair of cashmere socks. The smell of burnt wool and smoke rose into the air. He held the pair in front of him. His blue eyes peeked through the holes. Several of them to be precise, the size of pennies and quarters and dimes.

He sighed. This was his favorite pair too. What a shame. He tossed them in the trash can and just stared down at the iron, as if he was waiting for a miracle of some sorts to happen.

Or for the blasted thing to combust into flames, he hated the contraption. Then he thought he was turning into that bizarre hunter he roomed with all those years ago, in that stuffy, cramped, and humid motel room in Kukan'yu.

How was he going to start off, _I was assigned to the Kukan'yu Expedition team during the uprising of rebel groups on the islands. One night, out on patrol, I found you abandoned in a burning house…._ Abandoned? Should he even say that? Killua didn't know himself if Elodea was actually abandoned or not. There were so many casualties. Elodea was just alone in the fire. What happened to his biological parents? Who are his biological parents? He tried finding out, but even with a hunter's unlimited access to information. He couldn't find anything.

Killua ran his hand through his hair and backed away from the ironing board. Today is going to be a long day.

Elodea ran into the living room, with a smile plastered on his face. He didn't cease his motion even when he was struggling to put his sneakers on. "Good morning!" He said, cheerfully. Then he smelled the scent of burned wool and asked, "what happened?"

"This iron decided to wage war against me," Killua said.

Elodea peeked into the trash can and eyed the pair of defeated fabric. "I'm sorry that it won."

"Me too."

"I can pick up another pair when I'm out."

"It's okay," Killua said. "You're going to the antique shop again?"

"Yup," said Elodea. "You wouldn't believe this, but we actually have a customer. A regular customer. Wilburton thought, sooner or later, he'd have to close the shop. This guy practically saved the place." Forget about the piano lessons for just a second. The guy even buys antiques when he's there. The last time he visited, be bought a coffee table with a glass psychedelic alligator adorned underneath it. It cost five thousand Jenny, and the man didn't even flinch at the price for such an odd creation. Elodea is theorizing that this guy is secret zillionaire or something because no sane person would ever spend that much money on such ugly piece of furniture.

Elodea finished tying his sneakers and prepared his backpack with all the essentials. His cellphone, a couple of snacks (because all the food in the vending machine at the shop is as old as the shop itself…. Wilburton keeps all the old-fashioned candy in it, simply for the aesthetic appeal), some music sheets (like _The Dark Sonata_ piece he hasn't played yet), and his log book. With the names of all his piano students. Well, more like one student. Illumi was his name.

"You teach piano to complete strangers, but you've never taught me."

Elodea perked up, "Do you want to learn?"

"I lack the patience to learn."

"Well, I could teach you, y'know for the right price." Elodea said, as he rubbed his index finger and thumb together.

"I'll give you a stick of gum and you'll be a happy boy."

"Thank you for your patronage." Elodea pretended to tip his hat as he picked up his skateboard. It was yellow and had a long green arrow painted down the middle, with red wheels. It used to have been his father's when he was young. "I'll see you later dad."

"Alright, have a nice day."

"Bye!" Elodea waved as he parted through the door and closed behind him. The skateboard met the ground and carried Elodea through the streets.

He was excited to get to the shop.

Even more so, he was excited to see Illumi.

* * *

Illumi ended up staying longer than the intended lesson, but Elodea didn't mind. (Neither did Wilburton, the young man bought another piece of (hideous) furniture! A store owner couldn't be happier.)

Elodea continued the conversation with Illumi about the cosmos, "The skies of NGL are so clear, and it was the best location to obverse Kimble's asteroid shower. It was beautiful."

"With the smog in Diamond City I can barely look out my window." Illumi laughed, "You don't travel by yourself now do you?"

"Oh no," Elodea shook his head. "My dad and I travel together."

"And what does he do for a living?" Illumi asked.

"Freelance photography." Elodea lied. He knew the dangers of a hunter's job and the unwanted attention it could bring for his father. Elodea was eloquent at telling the lie. It sounded believable to those who've asked.

In return, Illumi gave a believable response. "That's lovely. I was always interested in photography, but the most I can do is take selfies of my food." He shrugged, sadly.

"Nowadays, people can actually make a living out of that."

"That doesn't sound so bad. Maybe I should take up a career change."

Wilburton interrupted, "And what is it that you do for a living, Mr. Illumi? May I be so bold to ask."

Illumi looked towards Elodea, "Freelance as well. But I'm just a plain and boring businessman. Nothing extravagant."

"That does what exactly?" Wilburton questioned. He desperately wanted the find out if this man was a zillionaire dressed up as a pauper. That silver cane Illumi always carried looked quite expensive and stylish too. Wilburton was determined to milk it out of him. "Real-estate agent, banker, stock broker? A _businessman_ can mean anything." Then he smiled, but it pained him to say, "I'm just old, help me understand better."

Illumi wanted to whack this old bat with his cane; but he didn't, miraculously. "Interpersonal affairs. People contact me when they need problems revolved, from disagreements to lawsuits to trivial matters that have fallen out of the hands of court."

"So, you're a wannabe lawyer?" Wilburton wanted to clarify.

"In laymen's terms. Then yes. I'm a wannabe lawyer."

 _A rich one too!_ Wilburton thought, happily. He could almost feel his boyhood returning. Almost. Then he remembered something important. He pulled out a card from his desk and quickly scribbled in it. Then walked over to Elodea and handed him the card. "Happy birthday." Then patted Elodea on the back.

"Thank you, that's so-" Then Elodea looked into the card and decided to continue play acting. The card did not say ' _Happy Birthday'_ but ' _Congratulations! It's a Girl!_ ' in pink, swirly letters. At least, Wilburton signed his name at the bottom or at least Elodea thought he did. His signature kind of looked like a hotdog bun with wheels and a toaster…. on fire…. It's the thought that counts, right? "-nice. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome," Wilburton gushed to his only employee. Maybe Wilburton will remember to give Elodea a card with the proper greeting next year. But Elodea knew that would never happen. Because he won't be here next year. Because hunters don't stay in one place for too long. They travel, always.

Then Wilburton proceeded to show his highest paying costumer, the most recent shipment of antiques to arrive at the shop (A.K.A 'Wilburton's Treasure Trove of Miscellaneous and/or Significant Antiques' established however long ago you checked your ATM balance.) Wilburton, in his prime years of youth, was a real-estate salesman himself. He was an excellent seller. Even he could sell the unsellable. Because as of right now, he was trying to sell a broken umbrella and he cleverly attached a story that it belonged to _The Queen_. He didn't specifically say what queen, but it could have belonged to any queen.

When he popped open the umbrella, a mouse (still alive) and a scrunched-up plastic bag of chips fell onto the ground. The mouse scurried away, hurriedly. With the chips.

The umbrella could have also belonged to a hobo.

Elodea held in his laughter and so did Illumi. Illumi said that he would think about the once in a lifetime offer and maybe buy it another day. Then he spoke.

"Elodea, it's your birthday? I had no idea." Illumi turned his back and looked out the window and saw a small ice-cream stand across the street. "May I treat you? I feel guilty for being unprepared."

Elodea waved his arms in front of him, "You don't have to-

"But I insist. Plus, I also want to thank my teacher for helping me relearn a difficult instrument. Let me thank you properly."

The shop was about to close early, and no sooner Elodea held a cone of vanilla ice-cream in his hands. Illumi had a cone of chocolate ice-cream with chocolate sprinkles on top.

"Whenever I have chocolate, I tend to think of my younger brother. When he was younger that was all he would eat. Give him a plate of chicken and broccoli. No, he wouldn't accept it. Give him a plate of macaroni and cheese. He wouldn't even look at it." Then Illumi said, "But give him a _chocorobo_. He's your new best friend."

Elodea laughed, "I swear, my dad's the same way. He has this insane sweet tooth. You should see how he prepares chocolate milk."

"Everyone loves chocolate milk," Illumi said, "except the lactose intolerant, bless their poor souls."

"But he does the exact opposite. He pours the whole glass full of chocolate syrup, then adds a teaspoon of milk."

Illumi stopped, baffled. "That's inhuman. And his cholesterol?"

"Normal."

"And blood sugar?"

"Healthier than a horse."

"He defies the laws of science."

"So far, the government hasn't stopped by to study him. I wouldn't be surprised if they did. _Welcome, we've been expecting you. Come in and make yourself at home._ " Elodea humored, "They would be the surprised ones."

So they kept talking and talking, walking down the streets of Diamond City. Until they reached as far as they could, where the streets were blocked off with yellow tape. Elodea gazed unto the nightclub, that was once full of dancing and laughter.

Now, the halls of the building echoed with nothing, but silence. The windows were dark and lifeless. The establishment was still closed off to the public. Police officers and detectives still struggled to gather clues from the crime scene and unravel the mysterious murder of a young woman named Madeline Nojoff. Elodea breathed, barely. He heard about the tragedy on the news. It was so sad, so to see these kinds of things that only seem to happen in movies. He remembered watching an interview with the parents, seeing them on screen made him feel just as they did. They were distraught. Broken. Shattered. They demanded that Diamond City give them justice to their only daughter. Her brother, who works in the police force, said he would dedicate every waking hour of his life to finding the culprit and send them to prison to rot for eternity.

So far, they have no leads. Just one clue. Of a single puncture wound to the back of the head. They said the blow was instantaneous and quick; and the murderer who did it was skilled in their craft. The act was deliberate. Assassination, they were thinking.

"I hope they catch whoever committed that crime soon." Elodea said. He could tell that their aura, her parents, her brother, rung of unimaginable sadness and grief.

Illumi held in a snicker. He wondered why people tend to exaggerate the smallest of petty crimes. Why publicize the death of a young, beautiful girl? While, on the other hand, there was no coverage in the news of Nicholas's death. (another assassination he completed shortly after Madeline's…after Nicholas paid of course) He was murdered while relaxing in his home, drinking a glass of wine. Or so the news minimally said. Nicholas just received a small blurb on the morning news, once. While Madeline was on every news network from morning to dusk. If Illumi remembered correctly.

Illumi passed by an officer and wished them good luck with the case and that they apprehend the monster who did this unspeakable crime very soon. The officer smiled, thanking him for wishing the task force at hand luck, and nodded his head to the fellow civilian of Diamond City. Oh, if only he knew.

That the monster in sheep's clothing, who committed the dreadful act, was standing right in front of him.

Soon after, while chatting some more and now in the park. Elodea bought a bag of bird seeds and did as one would so with these unique treasure troves.

He fed the birds!

Elodea sprinkled some on the ground, but he also held many seeds in his hands. One by one, birds came flocking towards him, sitting on his hands, and wrists and arms, and occasionally his head and shoulders. He had a pleasant aura and tinkered it so that the birds found it calming.

Then he looked towards Illumi and the silver cane clutched in his hands. Illumi caught his stare and Elodea felt shameful. "I'm sorry."

Illumi shrugged, "Don't be. I did this to myself." He tapped his cane against his leg, mournfully.

"It wasn't you're fault," Elodea said. No one ever should ever place blame unto themselves, especially things outside of their control.

"You are very kind, but it was."

It was then that Elodea had the brilliant idea of giving seeds to Illumi. The young man looked rather odd, with his slick black hair and fluffy white birds adorning on top of it. Then Elodea realized that it was time for him to go home. He said goodbye to Illumi, and that he looked forward to the next piano lesson.

Illumi smiled and waved with the dozens of birds flocking around him. He saw Elodea skate away on his yellow skateboard, until he was out of sight and no longer to be seen.

Illumi's smile slowly faltered. His eyes darkened, becoming darker than the shadows around him. He cracked his jaw, irritated.

Slowly, he reached towards the back of his neck. Delicately. Precisely. Accurately. As he has practiced so many times in the years prior to this day. He used the nails of his fingers to grasp the nib of the needle and slide it out of the back of his neck, above his axis bone.

It didn't take more than a microsecond for the birds to flock away. They flew away, terrified, from the putrid anger and vile hatred that seethed out of this man's body.

This malicious aura that was as thick as the smog that perpetually surrounds Diamond City. Unbearable. Intolerable. Unlivable.

One by one, he slid out needles from his spine. Freeing his body from these invisible, constricting chains. Finally, he stood up. Leaving his façade of a cane lying on the bench. He pressed a button on his cane, revealing a small compartment. A compartment to place his needles. He stretched out his legs, and the knots in his muscles that ached him.

He smiled a horrible smile. And laughed a horrible laugh.

His invention worked, perfectly; and his acting wasn't bad either. He stumbled over, laughing hysterically. Folding his arms over his stomach, hunched over. The boy believed him. That infectious, worm of a child believed his little act. Elodea thought he was _friendly_. Elodea thought he was _nice_. Elodea thought many things that Illumi was entirely not.

Oh! How Killua raised him to be so innocent and so pure!

Illumi was wise to listen to Hisoka who told him about the child's inherent skill of aura resonation. How Elodea can instinctively know someone's intent just from the sound of their aura. Hisoka detailed the experience at the Hunter Association conference all those years ago. How Elodea was able to notice Hisoka's bloodlust, spontaneously without even trying.

When Illumi found out, he pondered the situation for a long, long time. He already planned to get close to the child, he was going to take Killua's _precious family_ apart from the inside out. Simply getting rid of the child, like he did with Madeline and Nicholas or any other assassination with the flick of his needle, wouldn't work. Killua would only loath him more, he'd only resent the Zoldyck's more. He'd seek vengeance, the usual vendetta of the struggling and overly righteous hero and so on. It would only turn Killua away even more from his true family.

So, Illumi thought of a plan, but the worm's ability changed everything. He had to start over from scratch. Illumi, knew himself far too well.

He hated the worm, with all his heart; cold and black as the ominous side of the moon. And his aura was a dead giveaway. Hatred. Spite. Malice. It was all there. It seethed out of him, endlessly. The worm would see through his façade. Although, he wore his hatred proudly, like armor. It was nothing he could get rid of.

But it was something he could control. And that made him all the more sinister and cunning.

Needles have been his specialty for a very long time. What was the allure that he saw within them? For their precision? Yes. For allowing him to attack point blank? Definitely. They suited him, perfectly.

It took him a while to harness the correct raw materials, and an even longer amount of time to manipulate their structure for the proper function he needed.

Illumi twirled a needle around and between his fingers, at a slow than lighting than slow rate again. How he adored his creations. His mad creations. If he could control the aura of his _needle men_ , then he could do the same with his own.

The needles acted as aura suppressants.

When placed correctly into his nervous system, more specifically the back of his neck, a powerful aura hotspot. The flow of his aura significantly decreases. Think, aura flows and moves like steam. His is now more like molasses on a cold winter day. Barely flowing, barely moving, and most importantly, barely audible. Through research, he's learned that movement gives aura a distinct sound. His aura, with the needles, transforms into a perpetual state of stagnancy. Allowing him to get close to the child, without any worries. He was the perfect wolf in sheep's clothing.

Suddenly, Illumi jolted downward, his legs giving out. He scoffed, disgustingly.

But of course, there are drawbacks to even the greatest of inventions. His was no exception. The tole it has on his body, destroys him. Debilitating his muscles and limbs. He can't even walk properly. He can't even use his aura to protect himself if need be. He's completely and utterly defenseless. If Killua were to know of this, he'd easily take Illumi out of the picture. He'd would have to withhold from seeing his younger brother, but he will in due time.

But, he doesn't care. So what if he destroys his body in the process? Destroying his muscles and tissue and veins. It is for the greater good of the Zoldyck family. It was his duty as the eldest to set those astray back on the path. It was his duty to train Killua to be the heir.

That was the purpose of his existence.

Illumi scoffed, Killua was never fit to be the heir. In fact, Illumi thought he deserved it much more than Killua. But not everyone sees it that way. Illumi gritted his teeth, angrily. No, he can't focus on the past. He can only look towards the future.

Since Killua feeds lies to Elodea, then so will he. He will become a player in this absurd game. Since he set the game in motion, it is his duty to end it as well. After all, he was the one who prompted Killua to lie in the first place.

But it will take time. A great deal of manipulation too.

Manipulation, besides needles and assassination and business, was Illumi's true specialty.

* * *

Killua skewered an orange pepper and was currently toasting it over the blue flame on the stove. The skin of the pepper browned and crisped. When it was done, he set it down on a plate along with the twelve other peppers he roasted, and the chicken he baked, and the beef stew he broiled. He removed his apron, and pulled out a chair at the table and sighed.

Okay, now that's he's finished being the 21st century version of Snow White, he looked over the vital documents in front of him.

The adoption certificate and the immigration document.

Killua also received advise from Leorio. Leorio has patients who are adopted and has helped them with some of their problems. One, it is never recommended to tell a child they are adopted when they are adolescents. The idea of adoption should be gradually spoken to them when they are toddlers. Thus, the idea settles more comfortably with them as they grow older.

But waiting too long has consequences. Which Killua has blatantly ignored until now. He so was close to telling Elodea before, but he couldn't go through with it. Now, he was through with telling lies. Elodea deserves to know the truth.

The truth Elodea's been deprived of, for a very long time. Truth he desperately quenched, like water in the desert.

Killua's phone buzzed. He received a text from Elodea, " _I'll be home soon."_

" _See you then."_

Then Elodea sent a picture of an amazing treasure he won at the convenient store. Killua's eyes popped. Elodea bought a chocorobo, but the best of all. He won the sapphire-blue robot toy inside!

Chocorobo Incorporated has recently expanded their merchandise. Years before, winning the golden chocorobo was the best prize, but as its popularity diminished, the company knew they had to act fast.

So, there are now four different rare robots to win! A special surprise in each box! There was the rose-gold robot, the platinum-pearl robot, the sapphire-blue robot (the one Elodea just recently won) and the emerald-green robot.

They were a hit with the public. And the chocorobos, yet again, reclaim their spot of favorite candy among children ages 10-15.

Killua soon found that he was scrolling through years' worth of photos and videos in his phone. He tapped a video and smiled to himself. This was taken when Elodea was five years old and first learning how to ride a bicycle. Elodea smiled brightly, revealing a freshly lost baby tooth. Elodea was so happy when he learned to ride his bike, the video played then it got to the part where Elodea neared the end of the block.

Elodea realized one important and crucial fact. He didn't know how to turn. He ended up falling off his bike in the process, yelping a "I'm okay" as he laid on the grass that cushioned his fall. The camera was shaking as Killua sprinted to Elodea's aid. Elodea only had a few scrapes, and a few colorful bandages to cover them.

He learned to turn the exact same day. The joy that radiated from his little face, "I'm doing it daddy!" he said as he made circles around Killua.

Killua then turned off his phone and walked to the counter. He felt his clammy palms and wiped them on his pants. No, he shouldn't be nervous. Everything will be alight.

Elodea will still love him.

* * *

"I'm home."

Elodea entered as he placed his back pack unto the couch. Then he stretched his arms out and yawned, sluggishly. Suddenly, a tangy aroma dispersed throughout the air, and he couldn't help himself from smiling.

Roasted peppers!

"I'm in the kitchen." Killua shouted.

Elodea reached into his backpack and pulled out another, unopened box of chocorobo's. He got one for Killua too. At the convenient store, Elodea tried to peak into the box, to see if he could find a rose-gold chocorobo, because Killua was plagued with always getting the platinum-pearl ones. Elodea weighed the contents in his hand and concluded that it definitely-most-likely could be rose-gold. He had a knack for these kinds of things.

Elodea walked into the kitchen and his eyes feasted on the mountain of food in front of him. "Are we having a party or something?" Elodea lifting the lid of the pot revealing a piping hot beef stew with carrots, potatoes, and celery. Then a pot of roasted chicken garnished with lemon juice and oregano! And peppers charred from the stove top fire!

Killua simply shook his head, "No, I just felt like cooking."

"Oh, dad." Elodea said, "I got you something." Then he tossed Killua a chocorobo box. Which Killua caught, happily.

Elodea practically dusted off his own shoulder, "I wouldn't be surprised if its rose-gold."

"Let's find out," Killua removed the plastic wrap then opened the paper box, revealing a simple and plain platinum-pearl robot.

Elodea looked shock, has his gift deceived him! "No way, I swore it was rose-gold." He examined the box sideways and front ways, suspiciously.

Killua shrugged, "I'm only in it for the chocolate anyway." He plopped a piece of chocolate into his mouth, then gestured towards Elodea, "go long."

Elodea practically jumped back, and Killua threw the chocolate in the air. Which Elodea caught it in his mouth, triumphantly. He felt victorious as a football player scoring the winning touchdown at the end of a game.

"Then later, do you want to go see a movie? Or go to the arcade?" Killua said, "or how about Diamond City's amusement park?" Diamond city has many different types of attractions, including its own amusement park. It may not be as great as the one in Saherta (known for their outlandish and crazy roller-coasters) but they are a good second best.

Elodea looked around. The delicious food. Plans to just hang out and have fun. Something was up. His birthday was weeks ago. Their vacation was over. Elodea put down the chocorobo and frowned, "Dad, are we moving again?" If they're going to be leaving, he has to tell Wilburton and give a believable excuse about his dad's _freelance photography_ job.

"No, we're not moving." Killua said then patted Elodea on the back. "I just want to spend quality time with my son."

Wow! What was Elodea thinking! Today just keeps getting better and better.

Soon both Killua and Elodea set the table with utensils and plates full of delicious food. Elodea had his knife and fork in hand and was ready to chow down.

Elodea cut into the chicken, lifting up the fork toward his mouth.

Killua spoke, quickly, "After dinner let's go the amusement park. Also, Kurapika called and asked how're you're doing. He said he's doing fine and wants to stop by if he's in the area, but knowing his crazy work schedule, we might just chat online. Aunt Alluka wanted to thank you for being so nice with Gen. She say's you're all he's talking about and he cherishes the bracelet you gave him. He won't take it off. Oh, the amusement park, one of those new attractions opened with the giant spirally-thing, whatever it's called. It seems interesting. And you're adopted. Okay, let's eat."

Elodea's fork dropped down on his plate. The sound of metal against glass silenced the room. Piercing his ears. His mouth open. Eyes frozen, staring blankly.

The chicken in his mouth was first mouthwatering and delicious. But now it was sour and bitter and disgusting.

And it would be a taste he would remember for a very long time.

* * *

Killua, for the first time, told Elodea a story that was true.

His mother was not mean or ugly or unkind. There was no mother.

His skin was not ripped by a falcon, giving him his scars on his sides. There was no falcon, only a fire.

A fire in Kukan'yu where Killua found him. A baby swaddled by the ever-growing flames, abandoned.

He was a member of the Kukan'yu expedition team, on a mission. That was where Killua grew to love him and named him after the waters weeds.

The Kukan'yu Islands, the land where Elodea was born.

Killua showed Elodea the adoption certificate. Which Elodea stared and stared and stared at, holding it in his hands. He saw his name, his small inked footprints and handprints. His name in bold letters. Which he just stared at silently.

Killua kept telling him that he loves him so much. He knew, from the moment he held Elodea in his arms, that he was his son. He kept telling Elodea that over and over again. And how sorry he was for not telling him sooner, because he was scarred. He only wanted to protect his son.

Elodea tried to swallow, but his throat was so dry. It made him choke on his own breath. Finally, he spoke, "I forgot my logbook at the shop." That was all he said, as he stood up. His chair screeched against the tile floor, unpleasantly.

Killua gently took Elodea's hand. "We should talk about this more."

Elodea didn't look at him. He was solely staring at the ground, "I forgot my book."

"Leave it. You'll get it another time." Killua held Elodea's hand, gently.

"I need my book." Elodea's voice cracked.

"We still need to talk-

"Let me get it!" Elodea screamed, staring down at the ground. He ripped his hand out of Killua's. His breathing, audible.

"Elodea."

Elodea breathed and said softly, "I forgot my book at the shop. I need to get it." That was a lie. His book was in his back pack. "Please."

Killua went back to hold Elodea's hand, but he flinched at the touch. Finally, Killua said, "be quick."

Elodea said nothing as he left his home in a disorientating haze. The door shut behind him, fiercely.

Killua leaned onto the table, rubbing his hands against his face.

His eyes wet beneath his hands.

He was solely to blame.

* * *

Elodea was skateboarding down the sidewalk. He wanted to run. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. He wanted to yell at the world. He wanted to be far away from his _father_. Everything he believed was a lie.

He passed a woman walking her dog, he passed a group of kids on their way home from school, and he passed a boy his own age who sprightly made a comment about Elodea's skateboard.

How it looked so cool. But Elodea coldly ignored him.

Soon his vision blurred. He couldn't see the faces of those around him. He couldn't see the names of the streets signs he turned on. He couldn't see the pot hole in front of him.

He fell off his skateboard, unto the concrete, tears streaming down his eyes. Mucous dripping down his nose. His face, scrunched up and red. Pathetic.

A young woman came up to him, panicked. She bent down towards him "Are you all right? Can you walk?" She looked towards her girlfriend who was calling an ambulance, "We should take him to the emergency center." She went to put her arms around him, to help him stand.

But Elodea only pushed her away and ran.

He ran as far as he could.

His skateboard laid broken on the concrete. The paint was chipped. The wheels were scratched and ruined, still turning.

Forgotten.

* * *

His eyes were brimmed red, wet with tears. His voice hitched with every breath he drew. His cries echoed throughout the forest.

He screamed.

He yelled.

He threw rocks. Slamming them against the bark of trees. He had no control over his actions. He was on a rampage.

Sharp branches scratched him, leaves swatted in his face. Then he tripped over an uplifted root. Stumbling on top of moss and mildew and decaying leaves.

He stared down at his hands, sullied with mud and water.

The aura of the trees and the leaves and the flowers and the animals spoke to him. They rung in his ears.

Elodea pulled his knees toward his face. Shutting his eyes, tight.

The aura kept getting louder.

"Shut up," his voice quivered.

The aura spiraled all around him, closing him in. He was alone. He was abandoned. He was different. The fact that he can hear all these things was proof enough! He never belonged. What a fool he was for thinking he did! Killua was not his father. Gen was not his cousin. Gon was not his uncle. Alluka was not his aunt. Neither was Mito or Granny Freecs or Kurapika or Leorio.

He was not his father's son.

He was a water weed.

He was a pesky weed among beautiful flora. A weed that grew for too long in a place it never truly belonged. But even worse, it was a naïve weed. Oblivious to the differences it had inside. And in its heart, thinking that it one day could belong among the others. The agonizing hope it clutched onto, desperately

The aura kept getting louder.

"Shut up." He wrapped his hands around his head, around his ears to shut the noise out. The sounds that he used to love, their sweet melodies. His solace.

But now they trapped him. Seeping through his hands. Pounding against his ear drums, mercilessly. He heard it all. He hated it! He hated it! It wouldn't stop! It wouldn't leave him alone! He hated it!

"SHUT UP!" he screamed. He curled into a ball on the ground. Hands pressed tighter and tighter against his ears.

The tears kept falling.

The aura kept playing.

His dreams kept breaking. The image of his mother, etched into his mind. The fantasy he's come to adorn and cherish and one day pursue. Burned in front of him. It charred and smoked and wrinkled into nothing but ash.

He was the boy born from the ashes of a fire that failed to consume him whole. He was never his father's son. He will never be his father's son. Strangers knew him better than he did himself. He doesn't belong anywhere. He never belonged anywhere.

The realization sunk into his heart. Fast and deep.

It terrified him as he laid on the ground, trembling. He clenched the sides of his head. Pulling on his hair to the point of ripping it out. He kept muttering, over and over, begging for the sound of the aura to go away. To leave him alone in silence.

It never did.

* * *

 **Okay, take deep breaths.** **Maybe drink a glass of water? Hug a teddy bear? Good** **?**

 **One, this was a heavy chapter and it definitely moves the plot forward. Since the very beginning, you all knew that Elodea was adopted. In fact, everyone knew! We already saw, from before, Elodea had insecurities. And because of this, they just magnified exponentially. I like to think of this chapter as the 'point of no return,' because none of this is reversible now. There will only be consequences for withholding the truth, and even more, the repeated use of lies. And the effects on a person who already felt lost. This is the bulk of part 3.**

 **So, you thought Illumi's invention was for Elodea? Noooooooo. It was for himself...Now that Illumi's part in the plot finally begins. His goal is obvious (y'know get Killua to be the heir, nothing new) but his true motive behind it is not. Right now, I made them very vague, but they'll be revealed in part 4 of the story. What do you think of our big bad villain?**

 **This chapter is so important! Please, tell me what you thought in the reviews. I LOVE READING THEM! How do you feel for our poor little baby? How do you feel about Killua, who was only lying to protect him? Do you want to push Illumi off a cliff? (would you like him to receive the fate of most Disney villains XD falling off a cliff, oh come on they all do! Gaston, Maleficent, The Evil Queen, Scar... who else is there?) How did this chapter make you feel?**

 **Even if you don't have anything to say, (you can say "thank goodness for Wilburton" b/c he's the only source of comedic relief in this chapter XD) (or "Love Elodea") Let me know that you're here.**

 **On a happier note, p** **lease tell me this...**

 **Which robot would you like to receive in a Chocorobo candy box?**

 **1) rose-gold robot**

 **2) platinum-pearl robot**

 **3) sapphire-blue robot**

 **4) emerald-green robot**

 **or**

 **5) don't care what robot it is, just want the chocolate XD**

 **See you next time! Bye!**


	26. The Zoldyck's Accountant Special

**Hi everyone! I know, this isn't chapter 24, this is even better (jk don't throw tomatoes at me) A while ago, I made a joke about The Zoldyck's accountant and well, this short special was born! I wanted to write another special story and thus SHERMAN WAS BORN! ( the accountant, he's a very simple man)**

 **This chapter isn't all fun and games. I'm introducing a new character that I just couldn't wait to include. This is his first appearance in ATWW. ( a new member of the Zoldyck family XD XD XD and he won't be the last either XD XD XD )**

 **I want to give a huge thank you to Kigmain, (Yui, you are a rockstar) Thanks for being an amazing friend and continuously supporting me and I hope Malzi vanishes from the face of the earth (lol looking forward to some Poisoned Amaryllis angst XDDDDDD )**

 **ALSO! I've set up a simple poll on my profile page. Please check it out. You can vote for what special you would like to read next, but also (for the anniversary special) if there is an idea/moment you would like to specifically read or know about, like "Elodea loses his first baby tooth," or "Killua's first days as a parent," or "The day in the life of Gen," leave a review or PM me or vote so I can write it, I think it would be a lot of fun!**

 **About chapter 24, I will write it when school is finished. So some time, next month. That's not really a long wait. IDK.**

 **Thanks and happy reading! (This chapter is ridiculous, so, yeah...)**

* * *

 **The Zoldyck's Accountant (Special)**

It was that special time of the month again.

A time, that is most sincerely dreaded. If one were to describe the occasion, it was as uncomfortable as a tie, fastened too snugly around the neck. As irksome as the blinding sun while driving. The blinder, failing to aid your endeavors as you are forced to squint your eyes. The light whitening your vision on a road you desperately need to see. The occasion is even more dreadful, because of its predestined date. Which always falls on the last Thursday of every month and starts sharply at noon. No earlier. No later.

But how does one prepare for a dreadful day full of perpetual fear and anxiety.

For starters.

Bring a working calculator. Preferably one that is suitably equipped for handling long and complex mathematics made for the tedious chore of adding and subtracting checks and balances.

And a delicious lunch to take the edge off the day.

Sherman stared up at the enormous testing gates that loomed over him, menacingly. He gulped, once. Pulling on his tie, around his neck. His wife, his beautiful, innocent wife, fastened his tie for him this morning. As she does every morning, but not because of Sherman's laziness to do it himself. He was fully capable. When he was a boy scout, he could tie a multitude of different knots, ranging from the pirate's anchor to the butterfly and even to the crazy chimpanzee knot.

Sherman, an accountant in his prime forties, enjoys the loving gesture that his wife bestows upon him each and every morning. It is a priceless treasure that gets him through uneasy mornings. Especially today, he was feeling more anxious than usual, so she, Denise, his wife, a lovely soul that reads to the elderly when she is not teaching the blind how to knit, granted him loving words this morning that sent his heart souring. He closed his eyes and remembered, fondly.

" _I lit a candle for you at church." She said, smiling. As she folded one end of the tie under the other._

" _Thank you," he said._

" _I asked for the biggest candle they had and placed it next to the alter. On the highest pedestal. I was in a rush, so I was only able to say about ten beads of the rosary. But, I'm sure that will be enough."_

" _It's enough," he reassured her. But it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself, given the slight quiver in his voice._

 _She straightened the tie around his neck, snug. "My handsome man."_

 _Sherman smiled._

 _Suddenly, Denise placed her hands over her mouth, shocked. "Ah! I almost forgot to douse you with the holy water! And here I was going to let you leave the house without it!" She was about to sprint in pure panic to find a bottle, only until Sherman pulled her into his embrace, gently._

" _You're already done so much for me, darling." He said, "I won't be needing it."_

 _She pulled back, shocked. "You won't be needing it? What do you mean by 'I won't be needing it' Do you even remember where you are going? it's the-_

" _I know." He stroked the top of her head, red curls coiled between his fingers. "The Zoldyck's Estate."_

 _She kissed him, passionately. A kiss that could possibly be their last. She looked up into his eyes, a muddy brown. A rusty brown. A simple dirt brown. The highlights in his eyes resembled gravel. But dirt never looked lovelier in his eyes. She said, as the words flowed out of her mouth like a gentle spring adorned with pastel wild flowers in the mountains, "I'm getting you the holy water."_

" _Okay."_

Sherman Wallace Patrick, eldest child of Mia and Harold Patrick, proud owners of the _Milk and Dairy_ ice-cream parlor in Dentora (not to be mistaken with the _Root and Berry_ yogurt parlor in the same region.) Now wife of Denise Patrick. His hobbies include going to the movies with his wife on _discount Tuesday_ s, and playing soccer with his kids. Sherman is a simple man. Who received above average grades in school from kindergarten to graduate school. He married his childhood sweetheart, and have two beautiful children. A girl who is the valedictorian in her 8th grade class and seven-year-old boy who recently learned to not pick his nose in public. Sherman is a proud father. He is a proud husband. He is also a proud accountant.

Most notably, the Zoldyck's accountant. It is truly a formidable job.

Sherman stared up at the infamous testing gates. Then he looked back at the tour bus behind him as the tour guide spoke with a chipper voice, "Here lies Dentora's greatest pride and spectacle that receives millions of tourists each year! Can you even believe it!" The young man said, twirling himself and his microphone around, flamboyantly. The young man wore the simple tour guide uniform, neon blue and red kaki attire, signifying a status of feigned knowledge and leadership. But really, all the information about the Zoldyck's was free online for any amateur to pick up. Nevertheless, Sherman listened on. The young man sounded very enticing.

"Kurokoo Mountain is a dormant volcano. That can ERUPT at any moment! Yikes! But that's not the scariest thing about it folks." He laughed, "It's those who made the mountain their cozy home even more frightening. For all the new timers here today, would any of you like to take a _wild_ guess as to what's the occupation of this fearsome family?" He oozed gaudy enthusiasm.

A little hand was raised from the crowd, and the tour guide whimsically shuffled over to the little girl with frilly pig tails. He lowered the microphone towards her for everyone to hear. A voice as sweet as a cherub filled the air, "Assassination."

"Excellent!" The tour guide said, "And bonus question! Does anyone know how many generations have succeeded the family business of assassination?" He winked. Sparkles twinkled amongst his retinas.

The little girl spoke again, confident, "six."

She earned several 'ooohs' and 'woahs' and claps from the crowd. Impressed by the knowledge she possesses. The tour guide playfully continued the act, saying that he could use a co-guide. He even gave her his official tour guide hat as a souvenir. The little girl oozed with happiness, while her parents beamed with pride and joy. Ah! A family vacation gone well! With memories and pictures and laughs to be remembered fondly of the time they ventured to the home of the world's most ruthless killers. This will definitely make it into the scrap book and memory album.

"That's right!" The tour guide said, "a new generation of youngsters are currently undergoing the most cruelest of training, being groomed to continue the family legacy. And I thought I was unlucky, having parents pushing me to become a lawyer."

The group laughed in sync with the guide, almost like there was a cue too.

Sherman smiled at the crowd, laughing and having fun. Camera's flashing. People mingling. He would have to take Denise and the family on one of these tour rides. She was an enthusiast of group attractions and places that required minimal walking.

The tour guide continued to ramble, not that there was a lot to ramble about. Especially not a lot about the infamous Zoldyck family, despite being the main attraction. But the tour guides did incorporate the juiciest of gossip found in the tabloids and magazines. One of the sons, they are not sure who exactly, left the family to pursue his own endeavors. Probably to start his own assassination business, to create his own frightening legacy. How disturbing. How terrorizing.

How profitable!

There was a huge increase in tourism because of the gossip. Tourism flourished, tour rides were booked months in advance. Tickets became impossible to get, more buses had to have been made to appease the growing consumer population. People wanted to know about the gifted assassin gone rouge. What could have made him turn away from his family? Why would he do such an abominable thing? Fan-theories were made, from the scandalous to the outrageous to the honorable. _He is a greedy monster! Wanting fame and money all for himself!_ Some said. _No! He was groomed to become something he never truly was, he was an angel born from monsters!_ Others people had questions and the tour guides (kind of, not really) had answers!

There was one _absurd_ claim. That the ex-assassin decided to happily raise a family of his own, and took up honest and fair living. Living his days in peace with his true loved ones.

Naaahhhhhhh. This theory was the most un-juiciest rumor of them all, and was quickly replaced with more scandalous stories that ranged from illicit love affairs to the underground black market business to him completely going insane. One rumor is him falling in love with the king's-cousin's-brother's-aunt's-renounced nephew three times- former dog trainer's-stylist's-granddaughter. Supposedly, it was a spicy affair that involved him cutting ties with his own blood. And having to literally cut blood too. They say he even slashed his own mother's face because she disagreed to the marriage proposal. Now that story, was a seller. There's even a movie adaptation in the works. Great for tourism.

Sherman, being the accountant for the Zoldyck family for already half his lifetime, knew the truth. But it was against his contract to speak it.

The bus left, leaving Sherman standing in front of the gates all by himself. Looking quite dapper in his navy-blue suit. He gripped his suitcase and breathed. He placed it down on the ground, rubbed his hands together, spit into them (for more friction) and placed them onto the cold gates. The carved stone dragons stared down on him, menacingly. He yelped a battle cry and heaved!

And heaved!

And heaved.

He continued heaving.

He tried heaving.

Then stopped to catch his breath.

He heaved once again!

*crack*

Ah! The door must have opened! Then he looked up from his sweat drenched state to see that the door hasn't opened an inch, but he has only moved a few centimeters back, as he can tell from the track of dirt his shoes left on the ground, and the odd, tingling sensation coming from his lower back. Implying that he should make an appointment with his chiropractor, as soon as possible.

"Still can't open the first gate? I applaud you for trying," said Zebro, groundskeeper of the Zoldyck manor. He was dressed in a dull, gray uniform. It was drab compared to the tour guides uniform.

Sherman wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. "I'd thought I could at least make it budge this time."

"There is no need to exert yourself. Let me open the gate for you like I usually do."

"But I know I can do it."

"How so?"

"I've taken up yoga."

Zebro sighed in dismay as he rubbed the top of his bald head. "Just save your energy when you meet the masters of the house."

Sherman's shoulders slouched down, disappointedly. His yoga instructor said he made such an improvement too. Maybe, he'll have to take on meditation too or sign up for a premium membership at his local college's gym. Although, he never went through with memberships plans. Although, it did give him a sense of accomplishment, but it was a waste of money. He'd rather jog around his neighborhood.

Finally, Zebro released a vast amount of aura that Sherman could not sense. Nen, that a simple man like Sherman would never be able to yield. He entered through the gates then said goodbye to Zebro, diplomatically.

Sherman walked across the dirt path surrounded by decaying mold. He held his suitcase tight against his chest. As if the leather-bound briefcase would protect him against the dangers ahead. Nevertheless, he treaded the path with the utmost care. Farther down the path, he saw a puddle of muddy water, but that didn't faze him at all. It was the ripples in the water that terrified him.

Soon, the ripples increased in number as droplets splashed out of the puddle, sporadically. The thumping sound became more prominent. Louder with each step. Whatever monstrosity it is. It is approaching. Fast. The accountant didn't need to be a nen user to figure that out.

Sherman's walking broke into a quickened pace then into a brisk run as his tie flapped against the wind. He heard a howl that sent shivers up and down his (possibly injured) back.

As he was running, he dared to glance behind him.

He did.

Oh, how he wished he didn't.

The beady eyes, mangy fur, sharp teeth protruding through a narrow jaw, and the claws on its paws. Talons to gut its fresh prey.

Sherman shrieked. It was the Zoldyck's guard dog, Mike. Its tongue bounced with every leap it took, dripping with saliva. Mike was hungry. Mike was starving. The lunch it ate, supplied by Zebro, was not enough for a growing dog. It needs sustenance. It needs nourishment.

It needs meat.

"Stay away from me, you mangy mutt!" Sherman yelled, his eyes laced with tears. Then he remembered back in the day, his college roommate had a dog who fervently loved to play fetch. Not the dog, but the owner. The dog just tagged along because it made its owner really happy. Anyway. Sherman knew, that fetch is the key to unlock any dog's heart. The Zoldyck's dog had to be no different. It just had to!

The accountant made a very daring move. He stopped in his tracks and picked up a twig and waved it in front of Mike. Mike stopped and observed.

"Here boy! You're a good boy! Here's a stick. Do you want the stick, do yah? It's a pretty stick. Go get the stick!"

As Sherman threw the stick, he saw his whole life flash before him.

His life insurance was able to support his family, and his children's education. His daughter graduated from Harvard, as planned since her birth, and his son managed to open his very own haberdashery, a men's retail shop selling belts, hats, wallets and zippers. And his wife, Denise, married his yoga instructor.

Back in reality, Mike stood in front of him, unmoving. Obviously not being a good boy or wanting to get the stick. Sherman quivered, his arm frozen in air.

Mike placed one paw forward.

OH! HE MADE MIKE MAD!

This was it! It was time to say goodbye to the world! He loves his wife, he loves his children, he kind-of liked his job. Well, it put bread on the table and he did like the annual company vacations like the one in the Bahamas, oh, that was so nice and relaxing. And the fruit beverages adorned with cute little umbrellas…back to his family! They should be his final thoughts.

Mike came closer and sniffed.

This was it!

"He wants whatever's in your briefcase." A voice said. "Idiot."

Sherman held his hands together in prayer with his eyes closed, oblivious. "Are you the angel that's going to escort me to heaven?"

A pinecone dropped onto Sherman's head, causing him to look up. He saw the figure sitting on the tree branch above him. It was no angel! But a young boy! With pitch, black hair and piercing blue eyes that shined through the dark shade of the tree. Sherman could have sworn he was staring up into the sky. The boy spoke again, "The. Brief. Case."

"What does it want with my briefcase?" Sherman asked, defensively. His mother gave him the case as a gift when he finished his graduate degree in college. It was a special memento.

The boy scoffed, "what would a dog need a suitcase for?"

"That's up to any dog's business."

The kid laughed then spoke, "Is there food in there? That's probably what he's after."

Sherman nodded, "Why yes. There is food in my briefcase."

"Give it to him."

Sherman looked shocked, "I don't see why I have to. He's your dog, isn't he? Tell him 'no.'" There was no way, he was going to relinquish his ham and cheese and tomato sandwich on rye bread that his wife so lovingly made him for lunch. He'll fight anyone if he has to, even the dog.

"Mike has an unfathomable appetite. He's growing older too, so he needs more to eat. What kind of friend what I be to torture him like that? I spoil him, not neglect him. If he wants something, I give it to him." The boy said, "and right now, he's in a state of wanting."

Sherman looked up at the boy. "But my sandwich."

"The sandwich could be in Mike or," the boy said, "The sandwich could be in you, in Mike. Your choice, I don't mind either, but my father and grandfathers probably would."

Sherman made the difficult choice of relinquishing his sandwich to Mike. He was bullied out of his lunch by a dog. It was middle school all over again. Something he never thought he would relive again.

After Mike consumed the handmade sandwich, he sauntered off. Roaming for a nice place to nap. The boy jumped down from the tree. The landing was barely audible. Sherman knew from that silent gesture, that this boy is being brought up to continue the family trade. His heart ached, and not from the loss of the sandwich. He looked down at the young boy with pity.

The names of the Zoldyck children were never disclosed to him. For his and their own safety. Of all the years as the Zoldyck's accountant, he has only ever met a handful of the family members. Silva and Kikyo, whom he discusses the finances with. Kalluto, the current heir, but Sherman has been in the business for a long time and no one had to tell him that Kalluto was filling in this position temporarily. Zeno would pop in and out of meetings at times. He's met Illumi, who honestly creeps him out, immensely. His bank account is huge though, bigger than the father and grandfathers, combined.

Then there was the gifted killer destined to become heir.

Sherman knew about the rouge assassin, the son that deserted the family. It was the middle child, named Killua. Although he had never really spoken to the child, now an adult who knows where. If the rumors are true, if he's in an illicit love affair, or raising a family of his own or started his own assassination business.

Sherman knew that this Killua was the smartest of the bunch.

The child left and never came back. Wherever he is. Whatever he is doing. He must be happy.

And for that reason alone, a deep respect grew towards this son of another's blood.

Then, there are the grandchildren. Sherman looked into the sky-blue eyes of the young boy in front of him. He never knew his name, despite knowing the child since the little one's diaper days. The names of the children are never uttered to outsiders. There is a good chance that Sherman will never know this child's name in his entire lifetime. Or until the day, they will both be discussing business with the other.

"My, have you grown. I remember back in the day when you were swaddled in blankets, held tenderly in your mother's arms. How is she?"

"Alive."

"Good."

The boy held out his hands. And Sherman knew the drill. He dove into his briefcase and handed the boy several boxes of chocorobo's.

"I really shouldn't be smuggling in candy for you."

"But you do." The boy opened the box and found a rose gold robot inside. The rare and impossible to find rose gold robot that even collectors have a hard time acquiring. The boy turned over the box and let the artifact roll out into his hand. He examined it for a split second, then tossed it over his shoulder, nonchalantly.

He only cared about the chocolate. Not some stupid toy.

Sherman gawked. Denise would love the rose gold robot that the boy considered to nothing than a piece of remolded plastic.

"Mother won't let me eat sweets because she knows they'll rot my teeth."

"They _will_ rot your teeth."

The boy plopped another piece of chocolate into his mouth. Relishing the sugary taste. "Thank you for paying the toll fee. I'll make sure Mike won't bother you for the rest of the day."

"You're too kind."

"Next time, bring macaroons. I'd like to try coconut flavored."

Besides from being an accountant and majoring in the art of managing people's money. Sherman has been reduced to a girl scout delivering treats to a bratty boy for the exchange of not becoming a treat himself to the dog, Mike.

"I'll see what I can do."

"You'll see to it that you can get them."

"How old are you again?"

"Ten. I'm practically an adult now."

"You are a child."

"I guess to you, I may seem that way. But I make my own earnings."

"Yes, I know that you make a lot of money. I manage it. It's more than my annual salary."

The boy smiled, smug.

"But you're not allowed to spend it."

The boy's smiled faltered, turning into a foul scowl.

"Your mother keeps a tight hold on your account because you will be enticed to spend it, willy-nilly. I could call her right now and tell her about that recent decline in your account."

"You wouldn't," he retorted. "I'll get Mike and-

"Oh really? Then your mother doesn't know about the $76.98 deduction from your account 7 days, 10 hours, 23468 minutes, and 4857695 seconds ago? Does she not know about that recent transaction you made at _The Candy Factory_? Where I believe, you purchased, 5 jumbo sour gummi lollipops, 2 root beer cake cookies with the extra sprinkles, 8 cotton candy bites, 6 packs of rainbow gummy worms smothered in sugar grains, and 12 total packs of blue raspberry, strawberry party, lime supreme, and orange splash cream soda. The receipt would say it all, digital or physical, if you still have it," Sherman gestured towards the boy's face. "Well, there's that or the obvious evidence of your raspberry blue stained tongue."

The boy swiped his hand over his mouth, quickly.

"I was able to cover up your little blunder before mommy noticed, and all the ones before that too. I could tell her, you know, about each and every one of those sugary transactions or," Sherman held out his hand, "you can pay the toll fee."

The boy reluctantly emptied half the box of chocorobos to him. "Well played, old man."

"Thank you. I'm not your family's accountant for nothing."

"We can go into business together."

"I'll consider it."

"I'm Koh Zoldyck."

"It's nice to meet you Koh. I'm Sherman."

Koh laughed, "I already know who you are. _Sherman."_

An artery popped in the accountant's head, "You've neglected to pay the tax on your toll fee. That would one box of chocorobos."

Koh scoffed and handed him another box of candy. "You're an accountant. So, math is your job?"

"Yes."

"Math's boring."

"It can actually be quite fun."

"Fun math? That's an oxymoron."

"Do you want to be an accountant when you grow up?"

" _Psh!_ I already know what I want to be. And there's no math involved, at all."

"Would that be assassination?"

Koh fumbled with the plastic wrapping on the chocorobo candy box. There was only silence for the rest of the walk.

When they made it to the main manor, Koh spritely took the rest of his smuggled candy and ditched Sherman without as so much as a wave, salute or goodbye.

Sherman mumbled a goodbye that was neglected in all forms. He finished his last piece of chocolate and fixed his tie that was too snug around his neck. Then he adjusted his cufflinks and dusted off the dirt on his briefcase.

He may not be strong.

He may not be brave.

He may not be your typical hero.

But he was a skilled accountant. The best in all of Dentora. And that he did have pride in. His skill set even acquired the attention of ruthless killers. The monthly visits to the Zoldyck manor were frightening and scary and gave him tachycardia. But he was up to the challenge.

Where ever there are people who don't know how to pay their taxes. He will be there. When someone doesn't know how to balance their checks. He will aid them with his calculator. When a person has no clue on how to deduct business expenses. You can count on Sherman the accountant to manage your monetary savings.

The doors opened as the butlers let him in. Sherman rolled out his shoulders and greeted the employees with respect. He walked in with his head held high and his calculator clenched in his fist.

He was ready for the next big transaction.

* * *

 **OHOHOHOHOHO Elodea has more cousins** **XD**

 **I hope you liked reading this random chapter, let me know in the reviews if you kind of thought so (please make author-san happy)**

 **AND CHECK OUT THE POLL ON MY PROFILE PAGE!**

 **So yeah, see you next time!**

 **Bye!**


	27. Chapter 24: The x Storm x Begins

**Chapter 24: The x Storm x Begins**

The sky was kissed with warm hues that stretched down to its horizon. Curtains of pink, orange, red and yellow consumed it whole. The sun bidding the earth its final goodbye, bowing gracefully. A sweet curtain call. Fading away, slowly submerging itself off its vast, luscious stage.

A moth flew over then past then over Elodea's head. Finally, landing on his shoulder and fluttered its patterned wings, then rested, peacefully. Elodea brushed it away.

Elodea was lost in time. He sat, hunched over, arms wrapped around his knees, as his back laid against a very old tree, with peeled bark cascading up and down its rough surface. Rough edges scratched the skin of his neck and threads of his sweater, creating holes and pulling apart the red threads.

Elodea rubbed his eyes, now swollen and crusted from a torrent of tears. He was tired. His body was over swept with malaise. His muscles were sore, they refused to move. He refused to move. His clothes were sullied, stained with grimy mud that seeped through each layer, sending chills of disgust down and up his spine.

His father lied to him. Why would he lie? Why would his father do such a despicable thing? Making up a mother and the origins of his scars. His whole life. Elodea's heart ached and darkened, bit by bit. Why build up these stories and false hopes in Elodea's heart? The answer was clear.

To keep him from questioning the truth, Elodea thought bitterly. Elodea slammed his fist against the bark of the tree. Fragments of the rough bark came falling down, leaving light, empty patches on the stalk of the tree. A fly buzzed and landed on the empty patch. Sucking on the sap.

Elodea thought more and more about his name. About the land called Kukan'yu. A land he barely knows. It's a chain of islands that succumbed to brutal uprisings, a land which is supposedly his home. Some patriotism he has. He's just a poor, little orphan that a hunter took pity on. That hunter is his father. No, that man is not even his father. No wonder his family is small, incomplete and odd. It all makes sense.

Elodea groaned. Even though his eyes are dry and his voice is sore. He still wants to cry. He still wants to yell. But he was tired, and unfortunately, he was unable to do any of those things. Instead, he rested his head against his knees. Mud touching mud. And sat there, absentmindedly.

A tree branch snapped.

"Go away," Elodea said.

Against Elodea's wishes, the footsteps continued approaching, calmly. Stepping over twigs and leaves and mud that squished underneath the man's shoes. The hems of his pants became sullied with muddy water.

Elodea didn't bother to look up at the face hovering towards him, his voice croaked, "Leave me alone. I don't want to talk to anyone."

Finally, the man stood in front of Elodea, quietly. He kneeled down, further sullying his dress pants with muddy water and moldy entrails of the forest floor; and offered Elodea a single, golden dandelion that caught all the warm colors of the sunset.

And even Kurapika's soft smile.

Elodea remained silent and refused to move his arms and hands. Not accepting the weed hovering in front of his face.

Kurapika, gave in, and sat next to Elodea. He held the dandelion in the palm of his hand, admiringly. He also laid down the broken skateboard on the forest floor. Elodea sluggishly spun one of the squeaky wheels. "When you were little, you used to pick dandelions on Whale Island and make little bouquets out of them, my pockets were always overflowing with flowers," Kurapika laughed. "It wasn't just dandelions either. Leaves, shells, bird feathers, really whatever treasure enticed you and made you want to share it with others. Your father treasured everything you gave him? Do you remember that?"

Silence ensued.

Kurapika smiled, softly. "It was a long time ago. Even Alluka's bouquet was adorned with your dandelions on her wedding day. But you are still as mischievous now as you were back then-

"Why are you here?" Elodea asked, coldly.

Kurapika sighed, in truth, he planned on visiting Killua and Elodea in between one of his jobs. Fortunately, the departure time of his next flight is delayed due to some inconveniences that cannot be helped in an orderly and timely fashion, which caused much grief and a great annoyance for the passengers who planned to board it. As irksome as it may be, Kurapika felt it was sheer luck to venture to Diamond City, but whilst walking among the streets he saw a crowd and recognized a young a boy with black hair, running away with his skateboard left behind. Then he received a call from Killua. Which brings him to the present.

Kurapika did not need to ask about the circumstances Elodea already knows the truth about himself, in this confusing and turbulent stage in his life. "Your father is worried about you. He's out looking for you right now. Did you know that?"

Elodea remained silent, staring blankly at his knees. The crickets chirped, endlessly.

"You shouldn't have run off like you did."

Elodea's lips quivered, "I didn't want to be there. I didn't want to be around him. How can you blame me for that?" He said with painful vigor. A few whimpers ensued.

Kurapika gently rubbed his hand against Elodea's back, and quietly consoled him. But Elodea only leaned away against the loving gesture.

"You knew, didn't you." Elodea whispered, shivering from the cold. "Dad, you and everyone else knew I was different. You all knew I was living a lie, and did nothing about it. You all led me on. None of this is my fault." He gripped his knees.

Kurapika said, sadly. "You're not wrong."

Elodea scoffed.

Finally, Kurapika removed his jacket and placed it over Elodea's shoulders, "let me take you home."

* * *

The street lamps get brighter at night and shine as if they are small moons around a sea of black concrete, Elodea thought and realized that people flock towards them like flies.

Elodea walked sluggishly next to Kurapika. A warm, clean, and big jacket that has so much room for his small body to grow into, wrapped loosely around him. Providing him warmth on this cold and dreary night. Elodea also held his broken skateboard in his arms. He won't be riding it for some time.

A familiar figure ran up to them, and immediately embraced Elodea. Against the boy's wishes. Killua cupped Elodea's face, brushed his bangs, and tried to wipe away the dry mud that started to flake off the boy's skin. His heart split in two, when he saw Elodea's red brimmed eyes, clean lines going down his face of tears that washed away the mud and dirt.

Elodea only looked and moved away from his father, and solemnly walked home ahead of the two. Shuffling his feet on the concrete, walking as if he were sentenced to death row.

Kurapika soon received a notification on his phone that the departure of his flight would begin shortly. Killua called for Elodea to stop walking and come back, but Elodea only slightly turned around and sat down on a metal bench bathed in the light of the small moon.

"Thank you for finding him," said Killua.

"Don't, what I did was small compared to what's to come," said Kurapika. "This is only the beginning of a raging storm brewing inside himself."

"Did I make the right decision?" asked Killua.

Kurapika paused, "I can't answer that. Only time will tell." Then he left. Killua made his way to Elodea and tried to console him himself, but Elodea said nothing to Killua.

Elodea said nothing to his father when they walked home.

Elodea said nothing to his father, when he unlocked the door to their apartment. And nothing that night when Elodea cleaned up and went to bed.

And he said nothing to his father the next day or the day after.

He had nothing to say to his father, for quite some time.

* * *

It was a seemingly beautiful day at Wilburton's antique shop in which the owner happily counted his earnings for the day, in which a rich costumer purchased hideous furniture, and in which a little pianist taught another piano lesson that seemed to drag on, endlessly.

"What's wrong Elodea?" Illumi asked. "I'm sorry if I'm playing too many sour notes. I didn't have time to practice recently."

Elodea looked up from his log book, lost in thought. "What? Oh, ugh, no. You're doing fine. Try to connect the notes a little more by playing slower. If you can hit all the notes perfectly in andante. Then you can speed up to moderato. Get the notes first, then the tempo." Elodea said rather solemnly.

Illumi spoke, "I know for a fact that it's just not my horrible piano playing that has you down in the dumps. Usually your very chill about my lacking in some skills."

Wilburton chimed in, "Very true, you're playing sounds like two mangled cats brawling it out in a back alley on a Tuesday night that screech like tone death hyenas."

Illumi held in a rebuke and feigned a smile, "I did not ask for a second opinion, but thank you for supporting my claim Wilburton."

"Just doing my job," Wilburton nodded, appreciatively.

"Elodea, is something the matter?" asked Illumi, and he dared to add, "is it something at home?"

Elodea immediately shook his head and mumbled, "Ugh, no, not really…"

 _Something obviously happened on Killua's part,_ Illumi thought deviously. "If there is anything bothering you, I can always lend you an ear if necessary. I don't know how good I can be to you though."

"Thanks," Elodea mumbled, folding a corner in his book. "But I'm fine."

"Although, people tell me I'm a horrible listener. My grandfather tells me that all the time."

"Why's that?" Elodea asked.

"I don't know," Illumi shrugged, "I rarely pay any attention to him."

Elodea laughed.

"I hope you don't mind if my lesson is cut short today. I must meet with several of my clients afterwards. This is my busiest time of the year."

"Not at all," Elodea said. Relief washed over him, he didn't feel like teaching at all today.

When Illumi was about to leave, he stopped in his tracks, searched his pocket for a pen and scrap piece of paper, and began to write something down and handed the slip to Elodea. "If you ever need anything. Don't hesitate." Then limped out the shop with his cane, and left.

Elodea eyed the paper and its contents.

It was Illumi's phone number.

* * *

Days have past, and Elodea became a little less mute towards his father. Just a little.

Elodea picked at the collard greens spread across his plate, silently. Piercing the stalk of the asparagus and moving it aimlessly around the plate with his fork.

"Eat your dinner," said Killua.

Elodea looked up at his father with dreary eyes. "I'm not hungry," Elodea grumbled as he continued to spear the green stalks.

"It's getting cold."

"So?" said Elodea, "I can just reheat it in the microwave if it does."

"But it won't taste the same then it is right now."

"Yes, it does." Elodea argued. "Asparagus is asparagus. It doesn't matter if it's cold or hot. It won't magically become delicious if I eat it one way or the other. It tastes gross either way." Elodea said bitterly as he belittled the speared green vegetable.

Dinner became drearier as time passed. Killua looked at his son, who leaned back in his chair, depressingly. It was only when Elodea tried to excuse himself when Killua came up with an idea. Killua unscrewed the metal cap of the salt shaker and placed in on the table, "Elodea, do you want to learn a trick?"

"No."

"It's very quick."

Elodea turned around in his chair and mumbled.

"Great. It won't take up that much of your time. First, pick up the cap. Go on."

Elodea rolled his eyes and preceded to do as Killua said.

"Without your hands."

Elodea's hand hovered above the metal cap, uncertainly. "What? Then how am I supposed to pick it up?"

"There's a way," said Killua confidently.

Elodea scoffed, giving up immediately. "I don't know." He brought back his hand and crossed his arms. He wasn't in the mood for one of his dad's silly, old tricks. "You do it."

Killua complied. He did not use his hands to pick up the cap. Instead, he used the end of two forks and handled them like chopsticks, and easily picked up the metal cap. A gasp erupted from the young boy.

"That's cheating! You're still using your hands." Elodea said. There was a certain sound in his voice, and even though it was small and barely audible and could very well be ignored entirely. There was a laugh, and that alone made Killua hopeful. He continued, wholeheartedly.

Killua quickly placed a hand over his stricken heart and pretended to be offended. Taken back. Appalled beyond compare, and that made Elodea chuckle a little more, which made Killua a little more happy, "Me? A cheater?" Killua pretended to look behind him, as if there was a real cheater behind him, because it certainly wasn't him. "What has made you think of such a dreadful idea."

"You tried to change the numbers on your lottery ticket to match the winner's a while ago."

"I only tried that one time. One time." Killua accentuated.

"But it worked." Elodea said.

Killua swayed in his seat, remembering fondly of his mischievous days, which weren't too long ago. "Yes, but the prize was only five Jenny and I just wanted to see if it would actually work. But my plan didn't fall through considering that the winner came in to retrieve their prize at the same moment I did." Killua's mind wandered off into his subconscious, recounting the event. "It was so awkward."

Elodea laughed. His eyes shining just a little bit more. The mood changed tremendously. Despite the food getting cold, the warmth of their laughs filled their hearts, and Elodea felt a little bit happier.

Until he reminded himself that he shouldn't be. It felt as if a dark void was slowly filling his heart, sucking out all the warmth and laughs. "Why did you wait so long to tell me? Should I keep calling you 'dad,' or should I call you 'Coal' from now on?"

"Elodea," Killua sighed, mournfully. "You're my son and that's all that matters."

"You named me after a weed," he said in distaste.

"' _Elodea'_ is a beautiful name full of life. You should be proud of it."

Full of life? It is a despicable name that serves as a constant reminder of what an outcast he is. Elodea leaned back in his chair and grumbled, "It's stupid."

"You wouldn't have been happier if I told you sooner."

"Maybe I wouldn't be as miserable as I am right now," Elodea said, bitterly.

"What did you want me to do? It was a heavy burden for me to keep."

Elodea immediately cut Killua off, his blood was beginning to boil, "Oh, a heavy burden for you? Well I'm glad _you_ feel much better relieving yourself of this _heavy burden_."

Killua rubbed his eyes, "That's not what I meant. I only did what I thought was best. It wasn't my intention to lie to you."

"But that's what you did. Who cares what your intentions were. You still did all of that! You lied to me!" Elodea yelled.

"For you! Everything I did was for you!"

"Yeah, telling me I have a mother somewhere out there in the world. You know how many times I dreamed of meeting her?!"

"It's better that I stopped you now. You would have been more hurt if you tried!" Killua raised his voice.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Elodea said, defensively.

Killua breathed, "I'm not yelling. Right now, it's better for the both of us-

Elodea scoffed, "Better?! You keep on saying that! What's _better_? I don't feel it! Well, I'm glad _you_ feel better. It's not like _my_ feelings matter anyway." Then he opened his mouth once more, but no words escaped. He would have much more to say, but his heart was feeling heavy, and therefore he couldn't utter any more. He grabbed his plate and threw away its contents in a trashcan, "thanks for dinner."

"You didn't eat anything," barked Killua.

Elodea slammed the door to his room, a sharp echo resonated throughout the apartment. Elodea leaned his back against the door, his room cloaked in darkness. He turned the lights on, illuminating his sad excuse of a room. He flopped down on his bed, his face smothered against his pillow and moaned.

For a long time, Elodea held the paper with Illumi's phone number in one hand and his phone in another. He wanted someone to talk to, yet he didn't want to talk at all. What a conundrum. He prolonged his decision by surfing the internet, playing miscellaneous games, and reading random articles about random things ranging from the bizarre to the extraterrestrial. One article he breezed through was about some guy leading some hippie movement while sporting a gorgeous mustache. Apparently, the article said that his mustache can cure people too. And even the leader of the movement, kind of looked like his dad. How odd.

The screen on his phone lit up when he typed and untyped the number, his hand hesitating over the send button. Finally, he made up his mind.

He turned his phone off and tossed it somewhere on his bed. Hopefully, not on the floor, he's not in the mood to deal with a shattered screen. He shuffled himself off his bed and towards his keyboard. A sense of relief washed over him as his fingers tenderly caressed the plastic white and black keys. Good thing he brought the keyboard into his room before this whole ordeal, if he didn't, he was absolutely not willing to leave the confounds of his room to go play it. It's not worth it, he doesn't want to see 'father' and start another argument.

Elodea sat down on his bench and plugged in his headphones. For a while, he just played random scales and arpeggios and snippets of songs and melodies deeply ingrained in his muscle memory. He'd play the first portion of _Once Upon a December_ then midway switched to Chopin's _Spring Waltz._ His body flowed along with the rhythm of each melody.

If only his dear music would carry and sweep away his worries to some faraway place. But they wouldn't leave him, they were forever trapped in his mind. He started to press firmly then fiercely down on the keys, whose notes were supposed to be played delicately. He was supposed to be playing a loving ballad about lovers, not a fiery march that reeked with a defiant hatred. Finally, he slammed his hands on the keys in utter frustration, and breathed loudly. His ears were flooded with spoiled and rancid notes that only echoed his own anger, frustration, and fear.

He leaned back on his bench, and suddenly felt like playing something new. He removed his headphones and walked towards his backpack.

Elodea gripped the old and tattered page of the Dark Sonata, and he was overcome with a great force. Something inside of him, well, he really didn't know, compelled him to indulge his senses and bring the score to life. A force, far beyond his own, gave him an intense desire to listen to the wondrous notes, have the rhythm flow through his fingers and his body.

Spontaneously, he placed and clipped the single page of the score on the stand above the keys. He positioned himself on his bench, secured his headphones over his ears, and readied his foot on the pedal. He analyzed the first few measures, while his hands hovered above the keys like a phantom. He leaned forward, opened his eyes, and breathed.

Finally, he began to play the haunting melody.

* * *

 **HI! Thank you so much for reading this chapter and also thank you for waiting this long for its release! (I'm so sorry!) But here's the good news! The school semester has ended, finals are over and summer vacation has begun! XD (but good luck to anyone who's still enduring and persevering in this strenuous time! You guys got this, hang in there!) So updates are going to be more regular, don't know how regular, but regular nonetheless.**

 **I hope you all liked this chapter, although I kind of felt rusty writing this. Hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things very soon. Tell me what you thought, pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty please XD**

 **ALSO! I remember for the very first chapter, I wrote a little author's note saying I would finish the story that summer LOL what was I thinking!? That's impossible! My goal for this summer is to get as much done as I can, hopefully I can finish all of part 3 and _maybe_ start part 4. Goals are nice to think about :D **

**Thank you for faving, following, reading, and reviewing, you guys are awesome! I love each and every one of you, and I hope to see you all in the next chapter!**

 **(P.S. Yui, Mustache Man has graced my universe XD )**

 **Bye!**


	28. Chapter 25: Phantoms x and x Monsters

**Chapter 25: Phantoms x and x Monsters **

Diamond City is known for hosting and indulging in the most extravagant and incredibly ludicrous of events. It's no doubt that the residents ranging from the heiresses to bureaucrats to duchesses to self-made millionaires to young hipsters have a penchant for partying.

Only those with hefty hearts, and plump wallets, can truly partake in all its vast splendors. That includes those that waste their days idly at the Waterfront Casino, east of Diamond City overlooking the infamous Diamond Gate Bridge.

The Waterfront casino was established during the revamp of the industrialization of the city. The owner, at the time, supported radical and new modern ideas opposed by the city council. Such as the introduction of elevators that would allow architects to magnificently elongate buildings turning them into skyscrapers that can pierce through the sky, skewering clouds and turning them into fluffy shish-kabobs, taking their greatness to new found heights for all the world to see. Also, the replacement of the city's water pumping system. Pipes that rusted and supplied thousands of homes, including the Waterfront, with _supposedly_ clean and purified water. There were changes that needed to be fixed and the Waterfront's owner couldn't agree more when they received complaints from costumers gagging over the brown tinted water in all of the sinks, faucets, and fountains. And even requests for unnecessary, yet spectacular, rooms and balconies and overlooks that exceeded the traditional height of the building, so the residents could have a better view of the sparkling Diamond Gate Bridge. Apparently, angle was everything.

So, they did what any reasonable and sensible person would do. They filed a lengthy letter, diplomatically stating reasons and health benefits for a better change for the technological advancements of the city.

But when their letter only received a measly reply from the secretory, and a distasteful refusal from the council, and no course of action to follow suit. They did what any reasonable and sensible person would do next in this sort of situation. They invited the entire city council to the Waterfront Casino, for a lavish weekend. And of course, the council dared not refuse this proposal from the city's most profitable and independent business. What kind of politicians would they be to not experience the ways of their people, even if it was only the top 1% of the society.

So, all the councilmen and one councilwoman, who would eventually become mayor and fire all the narrow-minded men that opposed her success, partook in the most strenuous task of dining on grilled clams and scallops, sun bathing at the outdoor pool accompanied by gorgeous waitresses and dashing cabana boys in tight shorts, and winning several card games that the owner, personally, rigged just for them. What laborious tasks these truly were.

Soon after, the entire council wholeheartedly regretted their hasty decision of the rejection of the city's technological advancement. The Waterfront cleansed their minds and shown them the error of their ways.

Even with the change of heart, big projects require big bucks. Big bucks that the city council did not have, but the Waterfront did. It was no surprise, thanks to the Waterfront's generosity, that advancements were made at a lightning fast pace. A building and several bus benches were named after the owner in their honor. Not to mention, the owner received a special place in the hearts of the council. They connivingly had politicians eating out their pockets. And they would continue to have that special place as long as they guaranteed unlimited access of the casino to the council. Which was not at all a difficult arrangement.

They did. It was actually the spot in the council, in which the owner was solely after, in which a flamboyant personality, extravagant gifts, and a special way with words sufficed. The owner was able to get away with bootlegging during the great prohibition and many other illegal acts with so many politicians under their belt.

The Waterfront empire flourished, magnificently.

Many years later, the ownership of the casino has stayed within the family to this very day. The most recent descendent of the first scheming mastermind is named Alexander Muck Grimer. He is in his mid-forties, his hair is thinning, but he covers it with a convincing toupee, so one notices his dreadful bald spots that give him endless woe. He is unmarried by choice, but he is a tremendous flirt. Although, he has a few mistresses that have more of his affection than others. Currently, his chauffer is escorting him back from the casino to his third home, and what a dreadful ride it has become.

Alexander looked at his driver wearily. If only he payed attention sooner and realized that this wasn't the usual route to his home. He internally grimaced, his butler obviously did not give this new chauffer the directions. Normally, he doesn't socialize with the help, but tonight he's found a reason to succumb to this burdensome task. "Instead of driving around aimlessly, let me personally give you directions."

The chauffer said nothing and continued driving in a very choppy and disconnected manner. The car hit a bump on the road and Alexander almost hit his head, but most importantly his toupee, on the roof of his car.

Alexander scoffed, "Idiot! Watch where you are driving. That's it! Pull over to the curb, so I can take over."

The driver twitched. Along came a sporadic jerk of his head.

"You utter buffoon, I said stop. Look at me when I am addressing you." Alexander roared sharply, as he yanked the chauffer's shoulder towards himself. Alexander turned pale as a ghost and was horribly shocked from what he saw.

The chauffer's face was covered with small, yellow bulbous needles and each puncture wound seeped with thick, red blood. The chauffer groaned incomprehensible sounds. Soon after, the car reared and got stuck in a small sand dune on the side of the road near the salt marsh on the outskirts of Diamond City's national wild life preservation. The only piece of land within the city's limits that humankind hasn't technologically advanced.

Alexander hurriedly removed himself from the smoking vehicle and the deformed driver in a state of sheer panic. He ran towards the marsh, running. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran past bushels of shrubs and grass and heaps of uneven sand that made him stumble and fall on his knees too many times.

Further in the distance, he saw lights to a small cottage. Salvation! Alexander rejoiced in the comfort knowing that he was safe. The only problem that there was a small stretch of water between him and his sanctuary. Ah! No worries! He was on his college's swimming team many, many years ago. When you necessarily didn't have to be good to join the team. Anyway. Alexander could swim to safety.

He swam as fast as he could, water splashing against his face and up his nose. He began to panic when something did not feel right.

Something massive and scaly brushed against his leg, cutting deep into his flesh. Alexander yelped in pain. Overcome with terror, he hastily tried to swim back the way he came.

But it was to no avail. A giant set of jaws pierced his abdomen and back, creating a pool of crimson water around him. It yanked him underwater, before he could even scream for help. Alexander Muck Grimer's last glimpse of the world was of the brilliant moon, shining beautifully above him.

A torrent ensued beneath the pool of crimson water and bubbles that slowly decreased in concentration. Until there was nothing left.

The water became calm. Suddenly it was ruptured by a pair of scales that sliced the top of the water. The creature, groggily, swam away with a hearty, full stomach.

Illumi stood at the sandy shore with his hands on his hips, baffled. The gray waves tussled gently against the shore.

This wasn't how he planned Alexander Muck's assassination. First, he manipulated the chauffer by turning him into a needleman, then dictated its mind to escort Alexander away from his traditional route, to someplace faraway and desolate. All of that went according to plan, but not this.

Illumi had precise orders from his client to leave no trace of Alexander left on the soil he was to breath his last breath. He was going to simply spear him with a needle, dispose of the body in the wild life preservation, and call the night over, but he indulged the sight of a man consumed with terror. And decided to watch a little longer.

It humored him to see Alexander pathetically swim across the Marsh. It was only then that he realized he was on a job, not frolicking amongst the flora. That's when Illumi decided he would finally act, until he noticed the presence of an ominous aura that reeked with an unfathomable hunger.

Instead, Illumi watched the horrific event and was puzzled because of it. Sure, he was ordered to eradicate every trace of Alexander, which this monster precisely did by itself. Less work for Illumi, but still, he pondered over the situation. Whether or not to tell his client of this unforeseen outcome. He tilted his head, and realized he shouldn't worry his client over frivolous details. Or himself for that matter.

A job is a job. It would have reached the same conclusion, his way or the monster's.

* * *

Never, has Elodea played music so hauntingly beautiful.

The notes came naturally to him as he pressed against the keys, letting the music flow through his entire body. He quickly eyed the score then back at his hands again. He concentrated on sight reading the piece perfectly. The score, despite only being a solo piece consisting of one page, was composed of 72 measures. It looked as if meaningless scribbles ornamented the entire canvas, but in reality, each note that was hidden behind the guise of black ink, embodied disastrous calamities.

His keyboard was positioned perpendicular to the mirror situated above his dresser, he saw glimpses of himself performing the score. Suddenly, lucid visions of himself as a famous pianist penetrated his mind. He was no longer in his small bedroom. He was performing in a grand concert hall, dressed in fine clothing. Red velvet curtains decorated the sides of the stage while beaming lights glimmered all around him.

As Elodea thought more about roses and petals being tossed onto his stage from his adoring fans, his arms became increasingly heavy.

As he fancied the idea of thousands applauding him, begging him for a standing ovation; seeing his mother and father in the front row holding each other tenderly and admiring their son. A complete perfect family. The mirage of the woman looked up and smiled grandly. She waved to him. To her son. To Elodea. His head began to ache.

As his mind became consumed with wanting nothing but to play the piano, forever and ever. His nose began to bleed and morsels dripped onto his hands.

And that is the tantalizing effect of the Dark Sonata, it plunges and gorges these wonderful and delicious thoughts into all those who dare play it. Once you begin to play, it gets harder and harder to stop. Supposedly crafted by Lucifer himself, in the core of hell, he offers to show humans their fantasies and deep desires through the Dark Sonata. Therefore, it's impossible to turn away from the cravings of your own heart. It will offer illusions of everything you want and much, much more. People have horribly withered, wasted their lives and brought them to a tragic end because of it.

The price to pay, for selfish thoughts, avarice, and vice, is destruction. Which is the purpose of the nen curse accidentally placed upon it, hundreds of years ago by a broken musician. A human who crafted the individual solos out of pure anguish and misery. A love for music, he'd lost as he was consumed with vile notions and abused by constant deceit and betrayel. A broken soul who quickly became lost and forgotten in history. Unfortunately, this is a tragic story of a tragic character, for another time.

Elodea quickly glimpsed at the mirror over his dresser, and his eyes widened in sheer panic. He fell off his bench, landed fiercely on the ground, and breathed heavily. Rasping for air.

Fear broke the spell, just in time. Realizing his own blood stained his hand and keys.

His body lay trembling, wiping away the blood from his nose and hands, as he gazed upon the shadowy nen beast hovering above him.

It outstretched its talons, moving them in a rhythmic, circular motion. It was manipulating Elodea's aura. What was once steam, now individual threads intertwined around the nen beast's talons. Then it snipped and sheared and molded these glowing blue threads of aura.

Elodea felt sick in his stomach, but the pain slowly subsided as Elodea drew upon his zetsu, a fight response. He masked his aura, perfectly. But it did not matter to the beast. It moved its claws, again, in a precise motion and threads of his aura gravitated towards them.

The shadowy phantom hovered above him, menacingly. Its tail forever chained to the canvas paper of the Dark Sonata. Suddenly, it was being tugged backwards. The sound of its putrid cry resonated within Elodea's ears as it despairingly tried to break free. Talons stretched out from its hands, trying to grab a hold of Elodea's aura in a desperate plea, but it was slowly being sucked back into the moldy canvas.

The boy has stopped playing the music, and every beast needs music to work. Once the music ceases to play, the beast becomes trapped within the papery thin cage of its score. It retreated back into the Dark Sonata, against its will. An ominous aura was emitting from it, then it slowly vanished.

But when the music is played again, and it most surely will, it will greet the boy for a second time. Hopefully, it will sink and weave its talons into fresh aura once more. But now it must wait in dreary solitary. Every trace of its malice vanished before the boy.

A knock was heard at the door. Elodea instinctively heard Killua's aura and panicked.

"Is everything all right in there?" Killua asked, holding a small platter of snacks which consisted of cheese and crackers and a juice box. Elodea's lack of appetite concerned Killua, and so he brought his son snacks, which will hopefully make Elodea feel a little less grumpy.

"Yeah," Elodea said, hushed. While not averting his eyes from the Dark Sonata.

A turn of a knob was heard.

"I'm fine," Elodea barked.

Killua sighed. Instead, he did not enter. He simply left the platter of treats at the bottom of the door for Elodea, then rested his hands in his pockets. Killua decided that he will not bother his son more than he felt he already has. "Let me know if you need anything."

Killua accepted the silence and left with a sting embedded in his heart.

Immediately, Elodea grabbed the paper and gripped it in his hands. He held it fiercely and thought that such a venomous and evil thing must be destroyed.

He gripped the paper, creating folds and crinkles. Ready at any moment to tear it into millions of pieces.

Then he thought of the joyous fantasies that plagued him, settled down, and anchored soundly in his mind. It felt so real. His mother looked so real. So, like him. He thought to himself in a conflicting haze, that he would like to see her again.

The fantasies clogged his mind and poisoned his thought.

He brought the Dark Sonata closer to his chest, lightening his grip.

He can keep it for a little while longer.

No one has to know. There is no urgent reason to quickly part ways with it.

The Dark Sonata belongs to him, after all. He can do as he pleases with it.

* * *

Hisoka caressed his finger against the rim of the glass. Marveling in the exquisite sound it made.

He glanced at the kitchen, at the waiters and chefs hustling and bustling to get orders complete. The tantalizing smell of exotic food traveled from the kitchen to his nose, and made him sigh with content, but it also made him slightly bitter.

Hisoka was waiting impatiently at the Waterfront Casino. His dinner date hasn't shown up yet. Therefore, he was plagued with only nibbling on breadsticks and garlic knots and flower shaped butter until his fashionably late guest decided to arrive.

Ah, what a good friend he is. Postponing his appetite for the sake of another, which is a truly a formidable task.

A waiter carrying servings of Napolitan Spaghetti, garnished with freshly chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese, passed his table. Hisoka found himself drifting out his chair. His nose following the scent. He blinked. No, he must be patient and wait.

He nibbled on another breadstick, unhappily. It was turning into a real pity that he was becoming full on nothing, but these tasteless strips of cardboard.

Another waitress came around his table, carrying several bowls of beef bourguignon stew. He could see the sauce glistening on top of the caramelized carrots, onions, and succulent meat.

Without a moment of hesitation, Hisoka call the waitress to his table. Friendship can take a back seat.

* * *

Illumi silently tapped the top of his cane, as he stared down at Hisoka who was happily enjoying a full course meal. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

Hisoka gestured for Illumi to sit down, of course, he would courteously offer his dear friend a chair, but sadly his mouth was full. And that could not be helped.

Illumi sighed and limped himself to sit down. He grimaced at the action, it was getting harder to perform measly tasks nowadays. Even without the needles, the pain still lingered and it was upsetting to see his own body wither before his own eyes. A waitress immediately came to hand him a menu, but he sluggishly held his hand up, signaling her to leave him be. He wasn't in the mood to eat, he's lost all his appetite.

Hisoka chuckled.

Illumi quirked up an eyebrow, "Is there something troubling your already iniquitous mind?"

"It's only a fleeting thought." Hisoka mused, "I just never imagined you'd be the first to succumb to the fragilities of old age."

Illumi forcefully jabbed his cane at Hisoka's knee. The gesture was hidden by the embroidered fabric covering the table. "How's that for an old geezer."

"I always have to remind myself of how sensitive you are," Hisoka said, wheezing.

Illumi scavenged for a spoon and scooped a serving of the beef bourguignon stew off Hisoka's plate. He gave himself a more than generous serving of potatoes and meat. Then he plopped it right in his mouth.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Hisoka said, defensively. "This is mine."

"But the waitress is no longer taking in orders, and I'm so hungry." Illumi moped and dove his spoon in for another bite.

"I thought you lost your appetite." Hisoka lifted his plate over his head, away from that ravenous thing.

"I regained it."

"Fine, if you want some so badly." Hisoka speared a chunk of meat, and gestured it towards Illumi's mouth, "say ' _aaaahhhhh_.'"

"EXCUSE ME," Illumi waved his arm to a server across the room, forks and knives momentarily ceased their clicking as he acquired the server's attention in the process, "I'd like to place an order please."

"Rejection hurts." Hisoka sighed and placed a hand over his heart, dramatically.

"I can't relate." Illumi said, "Not that the food is really any good here. Maybe the new management will change that." He thought of Alexander Muck swimming with the fishes and smirked to himself.

"You're creeping me out," said Hisoka, wearily.

Illumi narrowed his eyes at him, his brow twitched. With his own plate of stew in front of him, Illumi achieved some level of peace. Some. He was still thinking of his previous mission, and Alexander Muck's mysterious death. "As someone with peculiar tastes, have you felt anything strange lurking about?" His eyes encased in graveness so discrete.

"Under the tablecloth?"

Illumi wielded his cane once more. This time Hisoka reacted quick enough and stopped another jab to his knee. He stole the cane from Illumi's grip and laughed.

"Anything turns into a weapon in your hands. I have to be careful around you." Hisoka said as he quickly eyed the forks, spoons, and knives around him. Then he whistled as he studied the cane, "what a beauty."

"Hand crafted by an artisan in Venice, a gift from a previous client of mine and an acquaintance of the family."

"AH! A gift! That means you're not that scary after all, or maybe it was more like a sacrificial offering to appease the big bad wolf?"

"Possibly both." Illumi shrugged. "But in all seriousness, haven't you smelled the stench of bloodshed hidden amongst Diamond City's smog."

Hisoka leaned back in his chair, lifting up a chunk of meat, the juices glistening under the chandelier light. "A bloodshed caused by someone other than my myself, is worth attracting my attention. Who is it? I might pay them a visit."

"Even if you are consumed in a constant state of boredom, I wouldn't risk an encounter. _Who_? More like _What_ caused it."

"It must be that _thing_ , which is acquiring the Hunter Association's notice. All single star and higher hunters within the city's limits are being contacted about this strange occurrence. I'm no exception, but I'm only interested in helping the greater good if it helps me in turn."

"I can assume you won't be taking any part in this expedition then?"

Hisoka smirked. "They're only interested in trapping it. That's no fun for the likes of me. Neither you, I presume."

"Hunters will be flocking here in droves when things get out of hand."

"That can't be good for you." Hisoka purred, "that _thing_ isn't the only one the hunters want to trap. It's too bad they constantly have you on the run, and in your deteriorating condition…."

"They have a better chance of apprehending me. I know." Illumi smoldered, "but not when I am getting closer to my end goal."

"Ah yes, how are your plans going? Making satisfactory progress? I can't believe Elodea sees a friend in you. How can that be? You don't have a friendly bone in your body."

"Conversations flow easily with him."

"What has happened that you don't scowl at the very mention of the little _worm's_ name anymore?"

"He's actually a good kid, and surprisingly a musical prodigy. He has a bright future."

"What future? He's met you." Hisoka laughed. "But a friend though? That's hard to comprehend, seeing as though I can only be with you for so long until I fall into hysterics."

"Like wise." Illumi said, "but all of that progress will have to be put on hold. I can't stay in Diamond City for that much longer waiting until someone from the association notices me. I won't take that chance. I'll be returning home soon. With that being said, did you bring what I asked of you?"

"Is this the only reason you keep me around as your friend? That hurts a little knowing you only call me for favors." Hisoka pretended to pout. Even though the feelings were mutual. He took out three unique hunter licenses and slid them across the table towards Illumi. "Just to let you know, they didn't put up much of a fight. What a boring task you gave me."

"Thank you," Illumi smiled and took the new hunter licenses. "I was foolish to use my own license recently. I can't make it easier for the association to track me down. I'll be needing these while in hiding."

"You can't hide forever, no matter how much it entertains me."

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you, because I won't be needing forever." Illumi said as he tucked away the cards. "It's time for me to depart, I have another job that has to be completed by tonight. My clients don't even give me a break to breathe."

"Ciao."

As Illumi limped out of the Waterfront Casino, he passed by a unique looking store, an art supplies store to be precise. He looked in the window case and saw a large variety of tools for worthy craftsmen such as fine brushes, oil paints, wooden easels, smocks, and beautiful frames.

Without a moment of hesitation, he entered the shop.

* * *

"Now, I want everyone to sit in our friendship circle. That includes you too, Elodea. C'mon, there's no need to be shy around us."

Elodea, silently and resentfully, walked to the friendship circle that looked more like a lopsided oval and sat down in between two other kids. The two kids were able to make room for him, shuffling aside so that he was able to squeeze through, or maybe it was because they sensed his seething bitterness that prompted them to move aside.

Elodea recounted on the unfortunate events that happened at home with Killua. He remembered the conversation, vividly.

" _Everything your feeling is natural, and understandable. It's okay if you want to talk about what your feeling," said Killua._

" _I don't have anything to say to you," Elodea responded._

 _Killua nodded, "I figured that much. That's why I think it would be a great opportunity for you to speak with others that have shared experiences."_

 _Elodea quirked up an eyebrow, nervously, "what are you saying?"_

" _I've signed you up in a support group."_

" _No!" Elodea burst._

" _A.K.U., (adopted kids united) is a nonprofit organization whose goal is provide support for adoptees in the process of dealing with adoption issues. Even Leorio recommended it, saying it is respectable and can help."_

" _You make it sound like I have a problem."_

" _You don't have a problem. There will be other kids there, your age, in the same boat as you are. Some found out about their adoption later in life, and others grew up knowing since they could crawl. You can talk with other kids and maybe you won't feel so alone. A meeting is being held tonight, and you should attend."_

" _You can't just make me do stuff without telling me. I'm not going and that's final!"_

Elodea looked at the group of kids sitting in the 'circle' with him. Killua was right. Many of them were Elodea's age, and some much younger and older. Some already knew each other from previous meetings and have already become friends with one another. Elodea looked at the two girls across from him and saw their matching friendship bracelets. Ugh.

Everyone in that room looked happier than he did, and the two kids sitting next to him definitely caught on to that. They minimally shifted away from him.

"Hi everyone! My name is Sasha, but some of you already know who I am, as I see a few familiar faces in the crowd," Then she looked over to one girl and gently patted her shoulder. "How are you doing Laurie?"

Laurie responded sweetly and Sasha continued.

"I'll be your mentor for these meetings. Honestly, I don't like the word mentor or teacher because it establishes an unequal balance between us, and I don't want that. I want to be your friend that you can confide in, and feel free to speak to. Anything you say will not leave this room, I'm not obligated to tell your parents, so be free to express yourselves."

Elodea rolled his eyes, noticeably.

Then it began, the horror, the anguish, the cruelty. One by one, everyone had to say their name, age, something they like, something their good at, and anything else they wish to add.

Elodea could barely utter his name, so naturally he was skipped, but he would have to say something eventually. In the meantime, he heard other kids speak.

A young boy spoke, his name is Ramesh Uhn, and he is twelve years old and wears a pair of thick rimmed glasses around his eyes. He enjoys playing lacrosse at school even though he is not a very good infielder, but he is a very good goalie. Then he joyfully spoke of the time when his birth parents came to watch one of games. He was determined to not drop the lacrosse ball not even once.

He ended up dropping the ball several times, but he didn't mind. His birth parents applauded him and afterwards, him, his adoptive and birth parents went to get ice-cream. It was needleless to say that Ramesh was seething with joy from the experience.

An older girl spoke, her name is Joanne Carlie, and she is fifteen years old. She is the vice president of her school's newspaper club and she enjoys writing articles that range from worldly politics to the mysterious lunch meat in the cafeteria. Her sources say it's really bean paste, but they haven't been confirmed just yet. She fondly spoke of the first time, she encountered her birth mother whom she always wanted to meet. It made her feel good, to see the same shimmer of blue in her mother's eyes reflected in her own. Joanne said that they talk endlessly and meet each other on the weekends.

This time, a little girl, no more than six years old, spoke. She sat next to Joanne, who was her older adoptee sister, and everything she said ringed in Elodea's ears, painfully, "My mommy and daddy wanted me," she smiled, happily; revealing a pair of lost baby teeth. That's all she said, and that when she's older she wants to be a dog walker. Fabulous career goal.

Finally, it was Elodea's turn once again. All eyes were on him as he could barely swallow. Everyone was talking about their birthparents and finally being able to meet them. Seeing the similarities etched in each other's faces, and their adoptee parents and siblings and families.

What does he have to say? Elodea has never met his birth parents, and he most likely never will. Does his birth mother have the same shine in her eyes as Elodea does? That brilliant amethyst hue. He will never know.

Or what of his birth father? It felt weird and strange, thinking of another man other than Killua as his true father.

Elodea only has a adoptive father. A single dad who never married or divorced; A hunter who unexpectedly decided to raise a family, a spontaneous decision without months of planning, preparation or thought.

Sasha prompted him to speak, sweetly.

His palms were sweaty as he minimally rubbed them. It crossed his mind that he is not like the other kids. They were normal and he was the outlier. They have mothers and fathers and siblings and some even met their birth parents. They may all be adopted, but he shares nothing in common with them. They were wanted by someone.

He was abandoned and forgotten.

Finally, he spoke, "can I use the bathroom?"

Sasha kindly pointed him in the right direction, and Elodea got up from his spot and didn't return.

He locked himself in one of the bathroom stalls, sitting on the lid of the toilet, trying to hold in his tears. He took out his phone and typed in a number, with a simple greeting.

"Hi. _"_

It took a couple of moments, but he received a speedy reply from Illumi "Elodea, what's up."

"Nothing much."

"Are you checking up on me to ask how much I practiced!? Because I can confidently tell you that I have been practicing a lottle. It's like a little, but a lot."

Elodea laughed and texted, "A lottle is very good! Keep it up!"

"I don't know. A lottle seems like too much work. I might bump it down back to a little."

"That's still very good!" Elodea texted. "How's your B flat exercises going?"

A nervous looking emoji popped up on his screen with a text, "I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Keep practicing a lottle."

"Okay, can you be brutally honest with me? Hurt my feelings if you must, but I need a second opinion."

"Is it about your playing?"

"No, something far more seriousness."

"Kay!"

A picture popped unto Elodea's phone, of a tacky green sofa next to the cicadellid crocodile coffee table with a bohemian style alien themed chandelier hovering above it all. What an atrocity.

"Is it too much too? Does it clash that badly?"

"Yes. My eyes are burning."

"You're a very harsh critic!" Illumi texted with a teary-eyed face emoji.

"But I like the coffee table though. It's cool XD"

"Spare me your pity."

"LOL"

"Next you're going to tell me the alien chandelier is too over the top."

"Maybe."

"I refuse to part with it."

"Have you ever considered a standard glass chandelier? Or a lamp?"

"WHO ARE YOU!? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!"

Elodea smiled at the word 'friend.' His heart soared. "Friends set friends back on track!"

"I'm going to have to rethink our friendship over my bowl of ramen. My clients don't even give me a chance to breathe let alone eat dinner in peace."

"Good luck with all your business-y stuff!" Elodea laughed as he continued to text Illumi. He was beginning to forget his woes and worries, until he heard the sound of aura and chatter of the other boys entering the bathroom. Elodea quieted down his laughing, and remained silent.

"Is he in here?" one kid said to another, as he tapped on the stall doors leading to Elodea's.

Elodea stared down on at his phone screen, hoping they just leave him alone.

They didn't.

"He's not doing anything, he's just on his phone." A boy said, looking down into his stall, standing on the toilet. Elodea looked up and felt so disgusted. He immediately slammed his hand against the divider and the boy retreated, "dude, calm down," he laughed.

Laughter resonated from the rest of them, until one spoke rather distastefully. As if he were forced to this task against his very will, "Sasha said that we had to come get you. She either thinks you're very sick or you're ditching. But I mean, if you're on your phone in here, but else could you be doing?" He mockingly laughed along with the other boys.

Elodea regretted more and more that he even showed up. Ugh. He should have just snuck out of this meeting rather than hide in the bathroom when he had the chance. Now he has to deal with all these bullies.

"I think you hurt his feelings," one said.

The boy rapped on the stall door and spoke, "I'm being nice. I really am."

A boy behind him snorted.

"It's just unfair, you know, for all of us."

Elodea's stare became cold and dark. What was this idiot saying?

"It's unfair that we're the only ones talking about ourselves and our experiences. Our life stories. While you chose to opt out and hide in the bathroom like a runt. What makes you so special that you can ditch? That's not fair."

Elodea gripped his phone, tight. He wasn't obligated to reveal his whole life story to any of these strangers. How could any of them understand his life? The one world he was spat out of and the other that he was thrust into. They'd have no idea and Elodea didn't want to tell the truth he hated about himself. He saw another text from Illumi, which was a casual goodbye with a smiling emoji.

Elode's blood began to boil and the boys spoke of their distaste of his actions in a very unkind fashion.

Elodea looked up and used gyo. He saw a pathetic flow of aura emitting from the boy on the other side of the door. His eyes followed the aura as it drifted towards the ceiling, like water vapor. It was palpable, it was physical. Elodea could stretch out his hand and grasp it.

Without even thinking, he did. He outstretched his hand, slowly. Moving his hand in a circular motion similar to that of the phantom nen beast, although his motions were quite jagged. The rhythm didn't feel right in his hands, nor did it resonate with the other boy. The aura wouldn't draw near him. It floated, spiraled, and vibrated in place. Continuing its uniform motions that gave it a monotone resonance.

So, Elodea changed his movements, opting for a triangular pattern, with a delicate wave of his finger, the steam weaved into threads and slowly drifted down to Elodea's hand. Intertwining delicately with his fingers.

He was memorized by the touch. By the power. But it was slowly washed away as he further examined the threads.

Elodea internally grimaced at the aura. Its sound was weak in resonance, the least interesting he's heard. It even lacked in appearance, a sickly gray. There was no physical redemption for this boy's aura. It was fragile. It was flimsy. It was weak.

It was breakable.

Elodea experimented, ignoring the banter from the boys.

With a quick wisp of his finger, threads became stiff, vibrated violently, then snapped. Along came a cry from one of the boys, and that's when Elodea lowered hand, and the aura around it receded back to its owner. He realized his actions. He quickly unlocked and opened the stall door. Gazing down at the site before him.

The boy was pale. He was laying hunched down on the ground, grasping his abdomen as though he was dealt a fierce blow to the stomach. He moaned in pain, sickly.

Along with the others, he helped the boy regain balance and support.

But that wasn't enough.

He was taken away on an ambulance to the hospital, to the emergency center. The medics said he had a ruptured appendix, which was surprising for such a young and healthy boy.

Elodea knew the truth, and he was scared to admit it.

Even more so than admitting the truth, it was the lack of regret of his actions that truly terrified him.

* * *

Elodea arrived home to see his father welcoming him with open arms and asking him how the meeting went. Elodea decided to feign a smile and said that the meeting was helpful and he even made a few friends.

Elodea took off his wool jacket, and felt static tingling against his skin. He rubbed the jacket against his skin for a little longer and nonchalantly sauntered over to Killua, and tapped his hand, giving him a slight shock.

Elodea laughed and quickly retreated to his room before his father had an opportunity to act, knowing very well that he can make pure lightning out of nothing.

Elodea closed his door, his demeanor changing. He dragged his feet towards the edge of his bed and started hyperventilating. What did he do to that boy? Why did he continue with the act? Why wasn't he scared or afraid when the threads of aura weaved themselves around his fingers. Why didn't he stop? Why did he choose to keep going? He looked down at his trembling hands and hid them under his legs, so they'd cease their motion.

Elodea closed his eyes shut. He hurt another person and sent them to the hospital, a boy who did nothing but said some unsettling things.

And Elodea didn't regret any of it.

Elodea's breathing became more erratic. He combed his hand through his hair, nervously. Pretend to be fine. Pretend to smile. Pretend everything is alright and only good things will happen.

Pretend.

Elodea drearily looked over to his keyboard, with the Dark Sonata sitting on top of it. Its aura was beckoning him to come play it.

Wouldn't it be nice to forget everything?

To only feel good things that can heal his sinking heart.

It would be nice to forget.

Elodea walked over to the keyboard, mindlessly. He turned it on, forgetting to plug in his headphones, and started playing the Dark Sonata.

His mind was soon filled with wonderful thoughts of happiness and bliss. He looked up and saw his beautiful mother as she tenderly placed her hand on his shoulder, and tucked a strand of his black hair behind his ear. He could feel the warmth and tenderness of her touch. She spoke enchantingly, " _I love you, Elodea."_ Elodea was happy in his illusion. His mind drifted further and further away from reality, and Elodea thought he would stop playing when things would escalate. He would stop before things would become dangerous. He would stop playing before the phantom would manipulate his aura.

But soon he was forgetting everything that bothered him and even his own warnings, as he was fully under the Dark Sonata's intoxicating spell.

Just because something makes you feel good, doesn't mean it's good for you.

Slowly, the phantom nen beast began to seep and rise through the canvas. As it began to appear, its sharp talons emerged from his shadowy body.

The phantom nen beast has met so many musicians throughout its entire existence. Young, old, rich, poor, beautiful, ugly, happy, and miserable. It has crafted the most excruciating of tragedies to all of those poor souls who wished to indulge in their fantasies and ecstasies.

Oh, how it has been so dreadfully long, since anyone has played it like this child does.

It outstretched its claws and began to work.

* * *

Killua worked diligently at his desk, payments from previous missions were being transferred to his account.

He checked his inbox and saw one new message. It was a starred email sent from the Hunter Association. Killua slightly turned his head to the side, hearing music playing from Elodea's room.

Elodea wasn't bottling in his music today. Killua smiled, lightly. He enjoyed the white noise in the background as he opened and read the email.

He opened the email, but the words appeared fuzzy. He rubbed his temples a bit, for his head was beginning to ache. He blinked his eyes shut a few times, shaking away the slight pain that was steadily increased. He continued to hear the music, which was becoming more and more depressing, drilling deeper and deeper into his head.

He leaned his elbows against the table and grunted. Then he felt something warm clog his ears. He brought his hand back from the annoyance, and found that it was covered in blood. His blood.

A more frightening thought consumed him.

"Elodea!" He launched himself away from his desk, disoriented. His surrounding turned into a massive blur as he rammed his way past tables and chair and walls. The door opened with a great force, it banged against the wall, creating a dent with numerous cracks.

Blood dripped out of Killua's ears as he ran towards Elodea, gripping his arms around his son, tight. Preventing him from playing the deathly music. "Stop playing, you're killing yourself."

Elodea squirmed and screeched like a wild animal, hypnotized by the power of the Dark Sonata. He was torn away from his fantasy. The mirage of his mother dissipated in the air, happiness torn away from his heart, and Elodea was left with only anguish and sadness.

Killua hurriedly carried Elodea out his room in his arms.

Elodea scratched and clawed on Killua's skin the whole way, only ceasing when he was far away from the Dark Sonata. Free from its icy, menacing grip on his mind. Elodea half cried and half screamed into his father's shoulder, "I didn't mean to hurt him! I swear I didn't!"

"No one is hurt. Calm down. You're fine." Killua said as he laid Elodea on the couch, cleaning away the blood on his son's face. Elodea only pushed his father's hand away, resentfully.

"I hate myself! I hate myself because I didn't mean to hurt him, but I don't regret what I did! I hate myself because if I had to replay that moment all over again, nothing would change! I hate myself because I want to be like everyone else. I'm not like those other kids at the meeting. They had mothers and fathers and sisters and brothers. And I _despise_ myself because I envied their happiness when they spoke of them. You know what they said, they said 'mommy and daddy wanted me,' 'they wanted me.' You never wanted me. You never wanted me!"

Elodea cried into his father's shoulder as the words just continued flying out of his mouth after being bottled up for so long.

Killua embraced Elodea, rubbing his back and wiping away the blood that ceased spilling his ears and nose.

"Don't make me go back there. Please don't make me go back," Elodea cried, miserably.

" _Shhhhhh_. Of course not. You don't have too. Ever again. _Shhhhh._ Please, don't cry."

"I hate feeling this way!"

Killua held his son in his arms, consoling him. "It's just life." Killua again and again said tender words that fell on death ears. Elodea wouldn't listen to the person who loved him and wanted him since the day they first met. He only saw himself as an unloved and forgotten weed.

It was the same night, that Killua lit a crackling fire out of newspapers drenched in kerosene.

The Dark Sonata crumpled and folded onto itself in the fiery blaze, until it was nothing, but ash. Notes forever lost, that the world will never hear again.

But legacies live on, even after death.

* * *

The email was left open on Killua's laptop. Untouched. It read:

 _To all qualified hunters,_

 _You are required to serve during this time needed by the association for the successful pursuit and capture of a dangerous threat in the South-west Ostrov region located in Diamond City. Citizens lives rest in your hands._

 _Further information will be supplied upon arrival at the designated site._

 _Failure to respond to this email will result in suspension of license._

 _We look forward to your cooperation._

 _~Chairman Cheadle Yorkshire_

* * *

Gen snuggled up nicely in his fluffy blankets, the soft fabric was tickling his nose as his mother was sweetly reading him a bed time story.

A story to rest his sweet little soul and help him dream of dancing sugar plum faeries.

Alluka was reading an excerpt from a classic 18th century, literary autobiography; A coming of age story, featuring one of the most independent and strong willed female protagonists in all of literature. That story would be _Jane Eyre_ by Charlotte Bronte.

Alluka continued reading, " _I began to recall what I had heard of dead men, troubled in their graves by the violation of their last wishes, revisiting the earth to punish the perjured and avenge the oppressed; and I thought Mr. Reed's spirit, harassed by the wrongs of his sister's child, might quit its abode-whether in the church vault, or in the unknown world of the departed and rise before me in this chamber."_ Alluka lulled her voice as she closed the book, quietly.

"Why did you stop?" Gen whined, kicking his feet beneath his fluffy blankets. "It just started to get to the good part."

"It's time to sleep Gen," said Alluka. "That was plenty enough for tonight."

Gen puffed out his cheeks as his mommy kissed his head. "But I want to know what happens to Jane and if she survives the night all alone in that _wretched_ red-room with the ghost in the fire place and Mr. Reed's corpse inside." Whenever Gen learned a new, complicated word that sizzled with excitement rolling off his tongue. He used it in almost all of his sentences. _Wretched,_ was an unfamiliar word to him and sounded horribly splendid!

"She'll be waiting for you tomorrow and you can catch up then."

"If I were her, I wouldn't be able to sleep there all alone. Maybe if I had a friend with me, I could. Oh! If Elodea was with me, he beat up all the ghosts, get rid of Mr. Reed's haunted spirit, and THEN WE'D HAVE A SLUMBER PARTY!" Gen exaggerated, sparkles illuminating from his eyes. Gen knows for a fact that Elodea is scarred of nothing and nobody! Gosh, he is so cool!

Recently, Gen has expanded his literary tastes, taking a break from Shakespeare, wetting his beak into Victorian classics, such as _Jane Eyre_ , _Gulliver's travels_ and _Sense and Sensibility_. He was engulfed in these imaginative worlds that transported him to lands far beyond the confounds of his bedroom. Gen was determined that when Elodea and he are older, (When they are both handsome, courageous and adventure seeking licensed hunters!) they will both travel to the land of the giants and the land where two tiny groups of people are divided by nothing more than a measly crack in an eggshell and finally set them straight! But of course, he will always have a special place in his heart for Macbeth, Hamlet, and Othello. Except Romeo and Juliet, Gen thought they were a pair of two butt heads.

Of course, to Gen's dismay some words and sentences and phrases were too much for his little mouth to grasp. Even though he was already reading far beyond his recommended level, reading what high schooler's dare to tread, his wording was choppy and his speech did not flow and that made him _wretchedly_ upset. Despite his teacher saying he should skip a grade level or two, but Gen likes naps and snack time with cookies and milk, and arts and crafts with finger puppets and googly eyes with glitter; the third graders don't partake in any of those joys, sometimes they get pretzels for snack time though. How boring. How _wretched._

So, in order to read like a romantic renaissance poet, Gen practices nonstop. Reading aloud at home, to his mother and father. A wonderful audience he enjoys entertaining. Or at school in his kindergarten class, which is closely situated near the Cayenne Excavation site, Gen will read to the entire class during snack time or story time and his teacher is always amazed by his enthusiasm to read and learn. One time, Gen wanted to read a scene from _Julius Caesar_ , but his teacher politely declined, suggesting a lighter read instead. So, Gen read _Clifford the Big Red Dog_. It did not have the same edge as _Caesar_ , but it was still very good.

It's about a giant red dog! It cannot be anything less than epic! And Gen was so jealous of Emily Elizabeth, the protagonist in the picture book, who was Clifford's best friend! But it doesn't matter, Gen has his own best friend, his amazing cousin Elodea. Who usually wears a red sweater and that makes him kind of look like Clifford, expect he needs a pair of floppy ears and a tail.

Gen started giggling to himself.

"What's so funny?" Alluka mused, tucking in Gen.

Gen shook his head playfully and hid under the covers.

Alluka placed the copy of _Jane Eyre_ back on Gen's bookshelf. Again, it was neither Gon or Alluka who brought the book to their little one's attention. They asked Gen who gave him these book recommendations, and he told his parents the same thing he's told them before. A friend.

Even though Gen was being ridiculously secretive about it, Gon was suspecting that this friend was actually the librarian of the archive in the excavation site, Dolores Von Sweet. A kindred old lady, and a knowledge hunter, who manages the thousands of articles, books, and documents in the archive. Since Gen ventures there frequently when he gets bored shadowing his dad at work, Gon doubts that it isn't her. Gen enjoys the archive because of the vast number of stories it holds, rather than roaming around the Cayenne ruins. There is no fun looking at rocks and broken clay pots all day long.

And because of the air-conditioning which males reading way more comfortable.

Alluka blew dozens of kisses to Gen, which he caught all but one since it flew out the window and towards the moon. Darn. He will find you someday little kiss. Beware. The door closed, leaving Gen to slumber peacefully.

Gen closed his eyes and tossed a few times. Finally, quietly jumping out of bed and maneuvering towards his bookcase like a ninja. He grabbed his butterfly flashlight and found _Jane Eyre_. Then, he jumped back under his covers once more, lifting them over his head, and smiled brightly.

Let the adventure continue!

The words of the book were illuminated by his flashlight and soon he was transported to the world of high society, governesses, and crazy ladies trapped in walls. He read on, happily.

He gasped with surprise and laughed along with the heroine, until he was stopped at one word that he couldn't pronounce. He persevered, strongly.

"Per-Pereee-empty-orilly? Pear-empto-illy?" Gen squinted his eyes and pursed his lips at the difficult word, trying desperately to sound it out.

The butterfly flashlight flickered, barely. A change of batteries will soon be needed.

"peremptorily?" Gen questioned. "Thank you!"

Gen continued reading, but then was stopped by another _wretched_ word.

" _Mmmh_ , don't tell me. I can do this."

The flashlight continued to flicker more, growing dim.

"Be—bee—will—bewill—dear-ment." Gen's brow furrowed, and if it was possible for steam to hiss out from his ears, it would. "Mmmmh. Don't help me with this one. It's on the tip of my tongue."

The light continued to grow dim. Fading away, slowly.

"Bewilderment! See, I can do it by myself. I didn't need your help." Gen giggled, softly. His giggles fell only on the still air as he was nuzzled snugly beneath his warm blankets. There was nothing better than secretly reading past one's bedtime, hidden in a fortress made of fluffy blankets and soft pillows, than with a dear friend.

The light burnt out.

* * *

 **HI! Thank you so much for reading this ridiculously long chapter! (I hope it made up for the last chapter's low word count and overall sucky-ness XD ) Also, is this too early of an update for you guys? Or should I wait more?**

 **I hope I didn't lose anyone of you with the last chapter, or this one either T.T**

 **So! Elodea has played the Dark Sonata and lives to tell the tale, what did you think about my rendition of it? I added a lot more to the tale of the Dark Sonata, and I'm still going to add more, but I really hope you guys don't dislike what I did? Plus, we're seeing Elodea developing his nen ability ooooooohhh! AND the beast that is terrorizing Diamond City! OH no! What will happen to our heroes!? (lol) Did the ending of this chapter have you _bewildered_? Gen's special friend is closer than you think. (Have any of you guys read _Jane Eyre_? I've done the unspeakable by watching the movie first then reading the book XD I'm only in the beginning part though) Then there is Hisoka and Illumi, i don't know why, but i love writing those guys conversing with each other and i hope you liked their conv. too!**

 **I know its kind of sad (possibly depressing?) but what do you guys think of Elodea and Killua? And their dynamics? (Things will get better! I'm not a masochist, i swear XD...or maybe i am because I put everyone through ! ^#$...ANYWAY!**

 **I hoped you enjoyed reading this chapter! Tell me what you thought :D (please T.T )**

 **See you guys next time!**

 **Bye!**


	29. Chapter 26: The x Unsung x Hero

**Chapter 26: The x Unsung x Hero **

Back in Saherta, progress was being made at the Cayenne Excavation Site. Even though discoveries were being made at an accelerative pace, there were few to be celebrated over.

Gon leaned forward in his chair and stared at his computer screen, adamantly. He was examining a new, updated file of certain Cayenne translations sent to him by paleograph hunters.

He blinked a few times and squinted at the screen. He huffed, and opened the top drawer of his desk and took out a pair of rimless glasses. Ah! Much better! The images sharpened on the screen.

Gon and the other researchers noticed a series of repeated runes throughout various locations in the site, that ranged from the inner to outer regions. There are three different regions that make up the Cayenne Ruins, that mainly distinguished and separated the different classes among the ancient citizens.

The first region was the capital. It was once full of bountiful harvests that never ceased to occupy every corner of dining tables and ceremonial alters, unimaginable luxuries of precious gems and metals that adorned the beautiful faces of maidens and men, and societies of fervent knowledge seekers dedicated to preserving the spoken word and keeping it alive and well. This paradise was named Ettikaul, home to the elitists, educated, oracles, visionaries, and skilled nen warriors that fought for their right at the hand of such luxuries.

The second region was home to the artisans, skilled in their craft of weaving immaculate sculptures and vases and tapestries and architecture. It was an honor to become an artisan and apprentice under a master; there were rigorous trials and tests to prove one's worth and talent to even be considered as an apprentice alone. These personnel were craved desperately and constantly commissioned by the capital's affluent citizens. It was also the home of merchants who charted across faraway and neighboring lands for the pursuit of silks, spices, and exotic artifacts, both animate and inanimate. Personnel's who exceled at the art of commerce and trade, whose hearts did not lie in their chests, but in their pockets, that always jingled with a plentiful horde of coins. This world of full of whimsical craftsmen and cunning thieves was named Aittikaul.

The third and final region, made up the majority of the Cayenne Ruins. The home of the laborers and field workers and slaves that supplied all the lands with wheat, wine, and succulent fruits and vegetables, with very few to spare for themselves. This land, where many were born and died in the earth they sowed and reaped throughout their entire lives. This barren land was only discovered, not from its monuments and architecture which were scarce, but from plots of land doused with aura and repeated runes that marked the graves of the dead. This land was named Outtikaul. Also known as the land of the meek, of those who reaped the land with their flesh and bones and blood. In which they were told repeatedly that they would be rewarded for their services by the Great Empress Caye in the afterlife.

Gon took a solid breath into his lungs.

"Make waaaaaaaaay," shouted Gen, holding a tray of a delectable looking sandwich with a glass of milk, with its contents plopping up and down in the glass as he staggered towards his daddy. "I made you lunch all by myself! But mommy had to cut it in half though, but that doesn't count."

"What has gumdrop prepared for me?"

"A special sandwich!" Gen said, then happily sang the verse, 'I'm a gumdrop' for several long refrains. Which was also Gen's nickname, _gumdrop_.

Gon smiled and turned away from his computer, "You came just in the nick of time. I'm starving. How about, we each take a bite together?" He handed Gen a slice of the sandwich, which looked like it was composed mainly of peanut butter and jelly, and some chunky stuff too.

Gen happily took his masterpiece, ready to experience its magnificent taste, while happily humming his gumdrop song.

"One, two, three!" They both bit into their respective slice of the handmade sandwich made by the little chef. Suddenly, Gon's chewing began to slow and his facial expressions began to change, from a pleasant to a vaguely suspicious look.

"Do you like it?" Gen asked with sparkling eyes that oozed for juicy praise.

Gon nodded enthusiastically, for his mouth was too sticky and wouldn't allow him to speak. Finally, he chugged down his glass of milk and was free to form words, "Delicious! But, what did you put in it?"

Gen counted his fingers, "Um, bread, peanut butter, sugar, a squished-up chocolate peppermint patty, maple syrup," he moved to his other hand needing more fingers, "skittles, vanilla, marmalade, and two banana slices."

Gon felt the sugar pumping throughout his blood stream, he wasn't used to the rush unlike Killua, "Ah, that's very good because I needed my daily dose of fruit today." He ate the rest of his sandwich, which made Gen very very very happy! Gen also forgot to mention to mention two very important ingredients! A teaspoon of love and a cup of adorableness.

Gen finished his sandwich and climbed onto Gon's lap. He pointed to the screen and traced his fingers over the scraggly and funny looking letters. Static from the computer screen tickled his skin. He giggled, "What's that?"

Sparkles emitted from Gon's eyes, happily. Finally! His son was interested in his line of work for once! This was the chance to explain and teach Gen the wonderful art and joy of ancient languages with secret ciphers and codes and riddles. He spoke with enthusiasm and confidence about how curvatures and dots in a symbol represented vowels, while sharp angles and horizontal lines represented consonants. Gon began to speak about the very serious debate currently going on between researchers whether or not the Cayennes had a capital and lower case letter system when constructing sentences, and if the Cayennes were one the first civilizations to utilize commas to separate ideas and thoughts in a single sentence. It was truly a great and fearsome argument among paleograph and archeological hunters. Gon continued to speak until he heard the sound of a loud snore.

Drool caressed the side of Gen's mouth, until he was finally woken up by the sound of his own snore, "I got somewhere to be! Bye daddy!" Gen hurried out of the room with his arms outstretched like the wings of an airplane, he left before his daddy had any more boring things to say.

"Oh, okay." Gon said, sadly. He resumed examining the translation notes again, only to feel a tightening force around his heart. (No, he was not experiencing a heart attack from the excessive amount of sugar he just consumed in one serving. This was far more serious.)

These specific runes, aura that was crafted and weaved and etched by Cayenne hands, were a unifying factor throughout all three regions. They could no longer go unnoticed by the researchers and hunters.

If the translation in front of him was accurate. If the words in front of him resonated with truth, with meaning, with warning.

If these events truly did transpire and begin to take form, then the mysterious demise of the Cayenne Civilization, that was slowly beginning to unravel, was a blessing to mankind's already blood tainted history.

It was a crooked empire, not that it was the only one in history. More significantly, it documented history's first record of nen users, mainly skilled manipulators with its roots cemented deeply in the city of Ettikaul.

Ettikaul became known as the ensnarled city drowned in eternal vain and greed, which gorged the power hungry and trapped an elite group of people, known as _Cayenne's Children_.

All throughout the empire, these elitists were known by many names other than the one's received at birth. They were commonly known by three.

The Blessed.

The Sacred.

And the Cursed.

* * *

Diamond City's wild life preservation was the only source of land within the city's parameter that has pure, clean air. The preservation contained various ecosystems, including the salty marsh and estuary that stretched out in the ocean. Where marine life creatures come and go during the changing seasons.

But one creature came and did not leave, and it was determined to stay unless it was personally escorted out. That's where the hunters come in.

The engine of Killua's motorcycle roared as he drove on a beaten path through the wilderness.

"Elodea, focus your hearing. Can you give me the creatures origin?" Killua said, leaning forward against his motorcycle. Elodea closed his eyes and heard the world around him. "Well?"

"Just give me a second." Elodea said, slightly annoyed. After everything's that's happened, the last thing he wanted to do was go on another stupid mission with his father. They were tracking down a creature, that's already slaughtered and maimed citizens of Diamond City. Apparently, it was a special nen beast called a chimera ant. There was no time to rest when the chairman Cheadle Yorkshire, an intimidating woman, commanded all hunters for the successful capture and quarantine of the chimera ant that has a threat level of B or possibly higher.

Killua tapped his earpiece and spoke into the microphone attached to the collar of his shirt, "This is squadron leader Coal, heading east of Diamond City's wild life preservation."

Static consumed his hearing, with a faint noise in the background. Someone was trying to talk back, but the connection was failing, miserably.

"I repeat, this is squadron leader Coal. Report on your condition." Killua said firmly, as they abruptly drove over a sand dune. Elodea almost flew out of his sit and landed himself in a sand pit.

Elodea whined, "Would it kill you to drive smoothly for once."

"What?" Killua said as the motorcycle swerved minimally, but it was never to be known if the gesture was accidental or not.

"Hey!"

"Oh, I'm sorry that this ride isn't suitable enough for you. Would you also like to have a heated seat?"

"Now that you mention it, it is kind of cold."

"If I hear another complaint from you, so help me, I will turn this motorcycle around and send you straight back home."

"Then get ready because I have a lengthy list of them." Elodea said, deadpanned. Suddenly, the aura became audibly clear, and he began to shake. "Dad."

"We've been over this a thousand time. _No_ , I am not installing a snack bar in the back seat. _Yes_ , it is a great idea, but crumbs will get everywhere and it's a hassle to clean up."

Elodea gulped, "I hear its aura. Maybe we should pull back now and call for reinforcements."

"Elo," said Killua, "we are the reinforcements."

"Oh my god we're screwed."

"Hush," a sound was coming through Killua's ear piece. "This is squadron leader Coal have you encountered the-

Killua only heard screams and cries permeate through his ears. Then he heard the sound of devious laughter cut through its victim's cries. Finally, there was only silence.

"Dad!" Elodea shouted. He heard a faint sound of aura, that was slowly withering away. "Someone's injured and it's one of the hunters assigned to this case."

Killua reared his motorcycle to the side. They both found Aryel Grey, a beast hunter, crawling on the ground with a trail of blood behind her. She held onto her abdomen, tight.

Killua picked her up in his arms and laid her on a bed of grass, examining her wounds. He saw a single tooth protruding from her abdomen, as he went to remove it, she quickly grasped his wrist, and breathed erratically.

"It took down my entire squadron mercilessly." She rasped, "if you know what's good for you, take your kid and leave before it's too late."

"First my son and now you, undermining my capabilities." Killua shook his head, displeasingly.

"I've seen what that thing can do."

"But you don't know what I can do."

"You don't stand a chance. Neither of you do."

Killua pulled out the bloody tooth, and the hunter groaned in pain. Killua tilted his head to the side, and ran his finger along its smooth cutting edge. The tooth was curved backwards, and Killua realized the dangers of a beast with a jaw lined with these backwards blades. One bite onto its prey is enough to trap them. These specific type of teeth make it difficult for them to escape without tearing away their flesh in the process.

Killua handed Elodea a first aid kit and a wireless comminutor, "contact a medic while you watch over and tend to her wounds. I'll be going alone."

"But we're in this together. We always are. I'm coming with you."

"Not this time Elo."

"I can confirm what she said, after hearing that _things_ aura. It's terrifying and undeniably strong. You won't be able to defeat it all by yourself."

"I won't be needing to defeat it, I just have to capture it." Killua secured his holster around his waist, carrying tranquilizer darts that can even bring down fully grown rhinos and even humpback whales. Suddenly, Killua sensed a vile lust for death and mayhem reek through the air, he commanded Elodea, "Mask your aura. I don't want that thing picking up on your presence."

Elodea did as Killua said. He never lost faith in his father's strength, but he was concerned and worried after hearing the wickedness that rang throughout this creature's aura. A vile melody that slithered through the branches and vines. Within a nano second, Elodea saw a blue halo surround his father's body. Blue, purple and white sparks emitted from Killua and pierced the air around him. It was a fearsome ability, known as _Godspeed_.

"Dad, please let me help you. I don't want you going alone." Elodea said, "Take me with you. I'm not the burden you think I am."

Killua turned around and placed a hand on Elodea's head. The touch tingled and felt prickly, but it was gentle and kind. "You are stronger than you realize, never forget that. But if you are not here, no one will look after her. Hunters do more than just fight, throw huge punches, and drive around on cool motorcycles. We don't fight for glory or fame, well some do though, but that's not how to live one's life," Killua laughed, "We protect. We protect the defenseless, and those who need help, but are too afraid or don't know how to ask for it, sometimes always from the shadows."

"But not everyone we help thanks us for it."

"You're right, there are many times where our good deeds go unnoticed. We are the unsung, thankless heroes that march straight into battle only to be met with silence in return."

"Then why do you help people if they are oblivious to all your sacrifices and hard work?"

"Because," said Killua, "If my hard work means creating a safer world for you to live in then that's all the thanks I ever need." Killua created an electric barrier around Elodea and the unconscious hunter.

Elodea, surrounded by a shroud of blue and white, looked up and remembered for a moment of everything he's ever wanted to be and that hero was standing right in front of him, "Thank you."

"And Elodea," said Killua, "I've met many burdens in my life and you are not one of them." He moved with an incredible speed that a white silhouette followed behind him. The unsung hero marched triumphantly into battle.

"Good luck."

Elodea constantly kept the comminutor on and spoke to other hunters that would shortly arrive to assist him. Meanwhile, he bandaged Aryel's wounds and added compression to slow the flow of blood leaving her body, just as Leorio taught him. Suddenly, Aryel groaned and awoke from her short slumber.

Elodea spoke, "Medical hunters are on their way right now. You're safe, nothing will hurt you now."

"Where did that other hunter go?"

"To capture the nen beast. Don't worry, he'll be back soon."

"Did you say goodbye?"

Elodea stalled, "No, why would I?"

"Because that was the last time you'd ever see your old man."

An artery popped in Elodea's head. He said, bitterly, "You're obviously fine, since you have enough energy to talk nonsense."

"I'm only telling the truth, kid. Don't look at me, just because I made it out alive. That's all I did. I just made it out _alive_. I'm counting my blessings that more damaged wasn't done unto me. After this failed mission, I'm retiring in the countryside."

"Coal is stronger than an entire fleet of hunters. He can handle a chimera ant and take it down."

She scoffed, "have you ever seen one? Up close?"

"I've seen and battled many nen beasts, but this is my first experience with a chimera ant. They can't be that different."

"Clueless," she said under her breathe. "It isn't like the others you've encountered. But you said something about its aura. You said it was terrifying."

Elodea persisted, strongly. "Yeah, but _my dad_ has defeated a lot of terrifying things in this world," Elodea said, with determination encased in his eyes. "He doesn't run away from one terrifying thing that seems a little scarier than the others."

"Kid," said Aryel, "trust your instincts. They are not sugarcoated with lies for a reason."

Elodea fumbled with a pack of bandages, as he tried to silence and ignore the horrible aura spiraling in his ears. He locked his gaze on the empty and clear grove in front of him, waiting to see the figure of his father return to him once more.

He waited for the moment of his father trotting back up the grove, smiling and suggesting take out dinner to celebrate a successful mission.

Elodea did as Killua said, and waited.

* * *

Long ago, chimera ants served under a powerful queen who gave birth to numerous monsters and a ruthless king that sneered and uprooted life and caused chaos within a humble land known as NGL. But their plunder and rampage soon began to dwindle when they were eradicated one by one by professional hunters.

Alligator, was one of the first human-esque chimera ants to be born in his colony and was a former squadron leader that served under the Queen.

He picked a chunk of meat out of his teeth with his claws, sluggishly.

When the Queen died, he decided along with the other ants to part ways and live their lives how they pleased. Since then, he's traveled to and from the deepest trenches of the oceans to exotic lands and gorged himself on exotic delicacies that walked the ground with all fours or ran only on two. But now, he was a lazy bum was no purpose in life other than indulging himself in monotonous gluttony. He was known as the _Glutton King_ , but he was the only one that knew and used that supposedly pristine title. Well, he did come up with the name himself, not too shabby for a bipedal alligator with a purple mohawk with the size of a pea for a brain.

He stretched his scaly limbs and belched. Suffering from a massive food coma. He was full on these humans; monsters that destroyed his kin and killed his Queen. He took a fragment of one of their bones and gnawed on it lazily. Pieces of cartilage broke off into his jaw. He continued grinding them until they were dust.

Suddenly, Alligator noticed a strong presence of aura approach him. It was usually the humans that wield nen that taste the best, but he was too full and didn't feel like moving from his comfortable, cozy spot. It was probably just another weak hunter like the ones that came before it. Maybe, he could work off his sluggishness with this one.

A crackling blue figure emerged from the darkness.

Alligator spoke, "Are you one of those hunters that's meant to capture me?"

"Are you the monster who slaughtered my comrades?" Killua retorted.

Alligator looked behind him, to see if such a monster existed. There was none, there was only himself and the remains of his dinner. "Hm, your kind killed mine. So that makes us even." He yawned, lazily.

"The ratio of yours to mine is anything, but even." Killua held out the palm of his hand, into a tight fist. Light was slowly emitting from his grip, getting brighter and brighter.

Alligator leaned forward, intrigued. "You're not like the other hunters. You might be worth the effort. I guess I can work up an appetite fighting you." His stomach growled and his jaw salivated at the sight in front of him.

Killua spoke, coldly. "Enough talking. Tonight, you die." And then he opened the palm of his hand, unleashing a fiery rage of wrath. Sparks burst out from Killua's hand, erratically flying throughout the air. The hunter was setting his stage for battle, cornering his prey into a deadly trap.

This technique was similar to _pixie,_ in whichsparks penetrate his victim's chest cavity and impair the beating of the heart. But instead, these little pixies ceased their random motion and spread apart from each other, moving slowly in an orbital around Alligator. In the dead black of night, they looked like stars shining brilliantly in the galaxy.

Alligator became curious of the little, blue sparks and attempted to touch one. His clawed hand met one and a violent explosion ensued, blistering pain, and a horrible roar of a cry escaped his foul jaw. The skin of his hand scalded, sizzling. The explosion set off a chain reaction. One by one, each pixie detonated on the other with Alligator caught in it all.

Killua opened his palm again and more sparks shot out from his unleased grip. "There're more where that came from, don't worry I'm not going cheap on you."

Alligator sneered, "I underestimated you, hunter. You're special. I look forward hearing the sound of your bones crushing between my teeth and using them as toothpicks to pluck out the remnants of your comrades stuck in my gums."

"You're too kind, but enough with flattery." Killua sprint into action, again leaving behind a white silhouette of his figure behind him. Engaging in hand to hand combat. The beast was slow and wasn't able to deflect Killua's advances.

The nen beast was caught by surprise. Killua jammed his lighting doused hand within its ribcage.

Killua's eyes widened, he did not hear shattered bones or burnt flesh, but the sound of the beast snickering, deviously. The scales surrounding all its vital organs protected it from such dangerous attacks. Suddenly, it rapidly swerved and slammed its tail against Killua. A loud thud was heard throughout the entire wild life preservation. Birds flew away from the impact that swept through the air.

The slam sent Killua flying backwards, breaking and tearing past trees with splintering bark hailing from the sky. Alligator looked around him and saw the first batch of pixies disappearing and realized that they have a limited time on the battle field.

Killua stood back up, slowly. Alligator was about to charge until it felt something annoying attached to his tail. He turned around a saw a glass vial full of the tranquilizing serum, half of its contents already emptied into the beast. Alligator became distressed, and crushed it while Killua smirked.

Alligator then spotted a blue, crackling spark that wouldn't come off his scaly skin. It was located just above his collar bone. He tried to wipe it off, only to become increasingly aggravated when it didn't.

Killua's eyes locked onto the mark, while he uncapped another vial from his holster, "That is where the next one is going."

* * *

Elodea heard a cry from his father's aura. He was under attack. There was no doubt about that.

He left Aryel when medical hunters arrived, providing her emergency care. Elodea made up his mind, that he will help his father from the sidelines. He was already beginning to develop his own unique nen ability. Unstable and cursed as it may be.

Finally, he will fight alongside his father against a powerful opponent and save him from meeting the same fate as Aryel.

Elodea masked his aura perfectly and hid amongst the shrubbery, and finally for the first time in his life, he saw a chimera ant.

And was terrified.

Across the battle field, he saw Killua with Godspeed still in effect. Elodea lifted his hand forward and used gyo. He saw the condensed flow of aura escape from the chimera ant. It knew how to wield nen and therefore, kept its nodes closed. Except for the few slithers that permeated through its scaly skin and into the air.

Elodea gulped, and moved his hand into a circular motion like the phantom nen beast created from the Dark Sonata, now destroyed. But just like the bathroom incident, the rhythm of the aura did not match his movements. It would not weave and vibrate into threads like before.

His fingers tapped against the dirt ground as he tried to understand the rhythm of the ant. Sweat trickled down from his brow. The beat had a fast than slow tempo and reminded Elodea of compound time signatures when playing the piano. He continued to tap the ground and mouth the rhythm, "one a and e, two a and e, three a and e, four a and e…"

It matched! Sort of… He could tell that it was a 6/4-time signature, which has two subdivision conducting patterns, also known as the candelabra and the sideways pattern. These two patterns were extremely significant considering they are comprised of the primary derivatives in every time signature.

Elodea utilized the candelabra pattern, and continued to mouth the rhythm. He licked his dry lips, quickly, "one a and e, two a and e, three a and e, four a and e, five a and e," again and again he continued to move his hand in a uniform pattern.

His eyes lit up! The ant's aura was weaving into threads!

His eyes dimmed when the threads receded back towards its host. Elodea's grasp was weak and the distance between him and his target was hindering him from attaining complete control.

A drop of sweat trickled down his cheek.

He had to move closer.

* * *

Killua uncapped the vile with a single needle glistening underneath the synthetic light.

He charged once again at the nen beast, his eye on the crackling mark that he planted from before. Fist landed against fist in a fiery rage. Powerful bursts of nen erupted from the both of them, trying to subdue the other.

Killua began to be pushed backwards, his legs beginning to stagger. With a final push and a trip, Alligator opened his jaws wide, ready to splice open Killua's head. Killua held open its mouth with his hands, blood dripped down his wrists and arms.

"Ugh, your breath reeks," Killua said, "and is that tooth decay? I can smell it from here."

"I did eat _junk_ food before you arrived."

A handful of teeth ripped out from Alligators jaw, it roared in agony. "You would really look good as a pair of boots."

Alligator recoiled backwards and sneered, "You filthy human!"

"Or as a belt, but I'm not too keen on fashion."

The chimera ant roared and its eyes intensified along with its fury, its claws quickly spliced through the air, aiming at Killua's neck. Tt slammed against Killua's head.

Killua's vision became blurry and the world pulsated around him. He was caught off guard, and would have been a goner, if not for one thing.

Alligator's body froze paralyzed in place. Its clutched fists shook with aggravation. Rage slowly building up inside of him. "What have you done to me?"

At first, Killua didn't understand what it meant, but then realization sunk into his skull. His eyes widened, gravely and his heart pounded against his chest, vigorously.

Alligator turned his attention away from Coal, and slammed his tail against the hunter when he was caught off guard.

"I see you." Alligator said in a deep, gruff voice. His icy glare sharpened as he finally realized the presence of the little nen user manipulating his aura behind him.

Elodea was briefly able to help Killua from becoming animal chow. But aura manipulation took a great deal out of him, and he wasn't able to mask his aura at the same time. Therefore, leaving his presence open to everyone around him including the blood thirsty chimera ant.

Elodea dropped unto his knees, exhausted.

Alligator quickly confronted and swiped his tail against the young boy, tossing him into the air. The force sent the boy free falling towards the cage of a thousand cutting blades.

For the first time in battle, Elodea's mind went blank.

Before he knew it, he was pushed to the ground and rolled through rocky gravel. He was safe with all his limbs in tack or so he thought.

He did not hear aura of the chimera ant, or the aura of the wild life around him or even his own. The world would have been silent if not for the exemption of one new sound resonating throughout his ears. One he would never forget.

Elodea's lips quivered as he heard the screams of his father, of his flesh being torn from his own body as the chimera ant rapidly flung and twisted its own head to paralyze and break his prey's bones.

A row of teeth punctured both of Killua thighs, while the other set pierced his abdomen. But Killua still had enough fight left in him. He thrusted his thumb into the ant's eye socket sending a scourge of electricity throughout its body. Blinding the beast.

Alligator roared a trembling roar and spat out his prey. Finally, the mangled body collided fiercely against the ground. Debris dispersed into the air from the impact.

Elodea's eyes widened as he hunkered over Killua. One touch of his cold skin made Elodea shiver, as he held his father's hand within his own, "Dad! Dad! Open your eyes! Speak to me! Please!"

Tears trickled down Elodea's cheeks a Killua's aura began to diminish, quickly and quietly. "Don't leave me!"

The hunter's blood dripped down Alligator's grotesque face and into his mouth. He licked the remnants away revealing rows and stacks of razor edged teeth with a renewed appetite. His eyes rolled back as he relished the taste of fallen prey. He laughed, maniacally. "I smell the stench of a dead man."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **The only way to find out Killua's fate is to stick around for the next chapter MUAHAHAHAHHAHA**

 **Anyway! Guys, remember the chimera ant, Alligator in the anime? Okay, so the last time we see him, he is swimming off in the ocean. But what actually happens to him!? I don't know if he is going to make an appearance in the dark continent arc later on, I dare not question the great togashi, but who even knows XD AND this is just something to think about, The Cayennes and the fall of their civilization (what the shiz happened to them!? if you are wondering) Elodea's nen ability, and the sight of Gen's sandwich which is already giving me heart palpitations XD**

 **Thank you for reading, faving, following and REVIEWING! (and thank you to the wonderful guest who reviewed last chapter! Thank you so much! Here *hands sandwich* enjoy a one of a kind culinary masterpiece made by our favorite bookworm, Gen Freecs!)**

 **I hope you are all having a wonderful summer! See you next time!**

 **Bye-bye!**


	30. Chapter 27: Facing x the x Consequences

**Chapter 27: Facing x the x Consequences**

 _It was at the beloved age of ten that Elodea discovered the art of defeating one's opponent without the slightest trace of dignity. He was excelling at that craft, marvelously._

 _"And he's down for the count once again! Can I hear the audience roar!" Elodea imitated the sounds of what a glorified peanut gallery would sound like, cheering him on from another victorious battle against his father. Whom he defeated and vanquished in an epic dual. A battle, as in, a very realistic virtual simulation of a demon-slaying-tower-climbing-princess-saving-sword-wielding-world-saving tournament epic video game. Killua and Elodea happened to encounter this relic of a vintage game in a thrift shop, in which Killua boasted, modestly, that he easily breezed through the game in his youth._

 _But those days were long gone. Killua is not the young sprout he used to be and he was losing, not so gracefully, and forgot most of the secrets routes and moves and cheat codes in the game._

 _While Killua mourned, Elodea let go of his controller and clasped his hands together in a triumphant gesture._

 _Killua threw up his hands in frustration, "This game is rigged. They make it impossible for anyone to win."_

 _"For you to win, you mean." Elodea added, then he looked back at the screen and rejoiced, "Awesome! I got another special antidote and level up rare candies!"_

 _"and my wallet!?" Killua exclaimed, surprised._

 _"yeah, that too. But it's empty except for the few moon and sun stones. They are kind of cheap, but I guess I can sell them all at the Magical Lux Market and buy something more useful," Elodea shrugged, as he strolled through his horde of stolen goods with his controller._

 _"You defeated my avatar AND committed burglary against it. Who does that!?"_

 _"But your avatar doesn't need it."_

 _"You raided my avatar while it was unconscious after you used your flaming dragon wings attack against it. Now my guy is left starving, unprotected, and wounded in Goblins Grove. Thanks. And my life stats are going down too! Great, just great." Killua scoffed, "Curse these realistic video game conditions."_

 _"See, what does an unconscious guy need a wallet for? After a good nap, he'll forget all about it. Ah! Look a forest fairy is coming to your aid to heal you, you'll be back on your journey in no time."_

 _"But forest fairies in Goblin Grove don't work for free."_

 _"Really? I wouldn't know, my avatars never needed emergency healing since they always make it through battle."_

 _"Fairies only accept two forms of currency, and you want to know what they are? Here's a hint, you just stole them from my cold, unconscious hands."_

 _Elodea quickly covered his mouth with both of his hands, and mumbled beneath them, "What happens when you can't pay?"_

 _"Oh god it's happening," Killua cursed as the fairy morphed into a hideous creature after it healed his empty-handed avatar. The fairy once glowed with a golden silhouette around its willowy figure, but now it seethed with rage as several options were placed in front of Killua to choose from, none of which were very appealing._

 _One, Enroll in a life time of debt_

 _Two, Hand over your soul_

 _Three, Become a slave_

 _Four, Beg for mercy and possibly become dinner_

 _Five, Call a friend for bailout (if you have any)_

 _Killua turned his head towards Elodea as he clicked option number five._

 _"That's not fair, I don't want to bail you out."_

 _"I am your father and you will do as I say."_

 _"Eh," Elodea shrugged at the not so convincing argument. His avatar began to mount and load his stolen cargo onto his ice dragon, which reached level 45 after defeating Killua. "You're not the boss of me and I'm in a hurry to save the princess."_

 _"Please."_

 _"Don't wanna."_

 _"If not for me, do it for Wizard Gandafordan who fell into the flaming pits of Alcatraz to protect the entire wizarding world from falling into the evil clutches of the dark magician Sayron."_

 _Elodea sighed and remembered the cool animated opening sequence of the game, in which the legend begins with the great wizard facing off against the dark magician and bestowing wickedly awesome magic upon his disciples to finish his quest. Elodea almost shed a tear for the fallen wizard. "I'm doing it for Gan-gan."_

 _"That a boy."_

 _Suddenly, the atmosphere got tense when Elodea realized a dreadful fact. He was ready to turn his back against the Great Wizard Gandafordan (dubbed 'Gan-gan' by himself), "I don't have enough stones to bail you out. Well, it was nice knowing you."_

 _"Then negotiate with the fairy and save my ass."_

 _"But is it worth fighting for?" Elodea asked, philosophically._

 _"Am I not worth fighting for?"_

 _Elodea, for a silent and long time, thought to himself if it truly was. (Much to Killua's dismay) He quirked up his eyebrow in the process, then he shook his head and laughed, "Nah, your worth it. I'll save you."_

 _So, the negotiation ensued with Elodea relinquishing all of his stolen horde and even his powerful ice dragon. Elodea gripped his hands tightly around his controller, agitated. What has he done!? He just made a horrible deal! He's lost everything! Well, at least he still has his fighting buddy, Killua. That was nice. But his dragon…he raised it from a hatchling, Ah, but every child must fly away from the nest someday and part from its parents. Elodea nodded his head at the truth, sadly. But then the miraculous happened, "Dad! did you see that? Penguin (aka the ice dragon) looked back at me! He loves me and will never forget me! I will never forget you Penguin." There was no doubt Elodea loved his dragon that he worked so hard to train, but in the following days, he will hatch another dragon. A fire dragon, named Penguin2. This dragon will have huge shoes to fill._

 _Soon, the phone began to ring and the game had to be paused. Elodea remained where he was, trying to see if he could pile pillow after pillow on his head, trying to ease his boredom._

 _Killua saw the caller ID on his phone and spoke, "Leorio, good to hear from you. How's everything?"_

 _"Thought I called you during my break. I'm busy, but good. And you?"_

 _"Great, I just captured a millennium stone Golem and I'm currently raising it to harvest eclipse stones for me."_

 _"That's nice, but I meant in IRL."_

 _Killua blinked, once. The rain continued to tap away repeatedly against the glass windows while thunder struck, once. "It's my day off and Elodea and I are playing a video game together, 'Earl of the Silver Rings.' And he's winning."_

 _"But isn't that game about team work and trust and friendship?"_

 _"Like I said," Killua said, his eyelid twitched. "He's winning."_

 _"I'm so sorry."_

 _And so Leorio and Killua continued to chat, talking about miscellaneous things, ranging from each other's work to just plain catching up. The conversation ended when Leorio had to return from his short break and continue his rounds in the intensive care unit. Leorio parted with a heartfelt goodbye, "Live and prosper nerds."_

 _"We will."_

 _Killua returned to the den and saw several things. One, the pause screen of the video game. Two, Elodea napping on one of the pillows._

 _A lightbulb went off in Killua's head, this was the perfect opportunity to enact his flawless plan of retrieving some of his stolen items that Elodea keeps in his storage house in the Magical Lux Market. Killua silently tiptoed across the room and picked up his controller and un-paused the game with the sound off._

 _When Killua was just about to transfer his items and some superfluous ones, Elodea sluggishly opened his eyes. He stretched his arms over his head, and a light crack of his wrist was heard from the act. Elodea eyed the screen, suspiciously. "What are you doing?"_

 _Killua remained calm, "Checking our inventory. Yes, everything seems to be accounted for. Can't trust those greedy gnomes that watch over the place. The thievery that goes on there, disgraceful."_

 _"…okay thanks," Elodea said, "You can finish checking though." A suppressed smile was contained within Elodea's demeanor. He was plotting something, but what? But Killua only thought of retrieving his holy lightning sword that the earl of shapalapadingdong bestowed upon him during the siege of Sayron's mountain. No other thoughts consumed his mind, other than this. A single drop of sweat trickled down his forehead as he pressed the 'A' button._

 _Just as Killua transferred the items, his eyes widened as his avatar was swept up in a tornado of smoke and fire._

 _"Yes! Trap activated!" Elodea shouted, rather too happily. Only he, was able to remove items from his storage that was cast with a strong protection spell. He had no tolerance for thieves._

 _"You killed me," Killua said, shocked. His controller clattered onto the ground, "But I'm your partner."_

 _"No one is the be trusted." Elodea laughed, but before Killua's avatar's pixelated soul emerged from its pixelated, scorched body to venture to the pixelated heavenly world above to meet the Great Wizard, Elodea generously revived Killua with a lunar stone. "Y'know, when you were talking on the phone, I had a power nap and a seriously weird dream. Can I tell it to you?"_

 _Killua paused the game with his newly revived avatar._

 _"Okay, so I was on this boat."_

 _"What kind of boat?"_

 _"The kind that floats."_

 _"Ah, those are the best. Continue."_

 _"Well, it wasn't like a regular boat. It was actually a small house on a raft floating in the ocean. And there were other floating houses around it too. They were all connected to each other with little rope bridges, so no one would be separated from the other, but still largely separated, y'know."_

 _"Sounds like my perfect vacation, complete comfort and isolation."_

 _"So, I was in one of the houses and it was an antique shop! But everything in there was hideous and ugly."_

 _"How's their business?"_

 _"Surprisingly manageable."_

 _"In this economy, that's terrific. What happened next?"_

 _"Okay, I was carrying my backpack and decided to put it down, but it accidentally hit a mirror and it broke. The owner would have been furious, but they didn't see it."_

 _Killua wiped his hand over his eyes, exasperating, "You're already committing vandalism in your dreams."_

 _"Wait, it gets better," Elodea said. "It turns out, there was a fairy trapped within the mirror and it thanked me for setting it free."_

 _"An unintentional good deed, nice."_

 _"And it said for freeing it from its prison, it would tell me anything I wanted to know."_

 _"Did you ask it for the secret of life, what it means to be truly happy, how to end all the problems of the world, or, let me guess," Killua said, nodding to himself, "the secret ending of the video game?"_

 _"Nope," Elodea shook his head, "I asked it where you were."_

 _Killua put down his controller, and looked at Elodea. "I'm always with you."_

 _"I know," Elodea smiled, "But you were gone lost and I had no idea where you were. It kind of, actually scared me, so I asked the fairy and it plainly said that you were with me the entire time, I just didn't notice. Then it went POOF and I ran out of the store before I had to pay for the mirror because it was still broken."_

 _"But where was I then?"_

 _"Okay, you were actually watching over me while sitting on the back of a giant red turtle."_

 _"Riding in style, I like it."_

 _"Then the turtle asked me directions how to get to Shell City. I still gave it directions, even though I had no idea where it was. I hope it got there okay."_

 _Killua laughed._

 _"It's true! What if it got lost along the way because of me? I'd hate to think that. I think it was going to a reunion party or something. What if it arrives really late at the end when all the turtles are eating cake and coffee."_

 _"Turtles eat cake?"_

 _"Crab cake."_

 _"I expected nothing else."_

 _"Then I woke up," Elodea narrowed his eyes, "When you were trying to steal stuff from my secret stash."_

 _"I was checking the inventory," Killua clarified._

 _"Riiiiiight."_

 _And so, they continued to play and laugh through 'Earl of the Silver Rings' till the very end. Elodea still double crossed his faithful wizard partner on several occasions, but out of good fun he'd say to Killua. Which Killua did not by, at all. They ventured past scorching deserts, blazing sand storms, and ferocious tornados with surprisingly realistic weather conditions. Finally, they made it to the final boss battle where it was revealed that the princess stowed away in the highest of towers was actually the evil villain in disguise wanting to steal Elodea and Killua's magic! (oh no! What a twist!)_

 _Elodea and Killua played and laughed and joked around, just like the days before and the ones after before it all came to an abrupt halt. It was a time when the lies disguised themselves as bliss under ignorance. In which a young boy loved his father, his family, and himself._

 _But the consequences of lies have their toll, but unlike a video game with a simple push of a button, they couldn't be undone._

 _Choices. Decisions. Consequences._

 _In that precise order. Presently, Elodea and Killua are facing their consequences of choices and decisions that they willingly made. A privileged freedom, which is constantly abused and misused._

 _A freedom, which can never be taken back._

* * *

"Dad. Dad. Dad!" Elodea kept muttering to his father as he laid cold and stoic on the ground. Elodea's vision of the world around him became narrowed, only focusing on Killua. He forgot about the marsh basked in a symphony of sounds of the crickets and toads and owls. He forgot about his blood-stained hands and skin and clothes. He forgot about the mission, and he forgot about the monster behind him, snarling and growling and craving more flesh.

Elodea's breathing became erratic as his mind and soul were swept up in a storm of fright. Elodea began to shake Killua's shoulders, "Dad! Wake up! Dad!"

A hand grabbed Elodea's.

It was Killua's.

Killua clenched Elodea's wrist, tight. With a great force, he hurled Elodea across and away from him, away from the monster, away from death. Elodea was sent rolling and tumbling, causing debris to be picked up and scattered into the air. Elodea felt gravel sink into his palms. He winced.

"Get out of here!" Killua yelled. "Run!" Killua groaned in pain as he looked down at the mangled mess of his legs and the holes gushing with blood across his abdomen. His legs wouldn't let him move, he was paralyzed on the battle field.

Elodea did not hesitate, he stumbled back towards Killua only to be yelled and screamed at once again. "I won't leave you!"

"Listen to me for once! Get out of here!" Killua yelled as he pushed Elodea away, fiercely.

Elodea ran back towards Killua, without even thinking.

"I forbid you to die here with me. Leave! Now!"

"Shut up! I'm not, ever going to leave you." Elodea hiccupped, "I just wanted to help you, I didn't mean for this to happen."

Killua looked away, "No, my mistakes have finally caught up with me. This is the punishment that I deserve for deceiving and lying to you all these years. I thought I was doing the right thing, for you, for me. I wasn't. I was only blind to the truth that I tried so desperately to ignore. It was selfish for me to think it was all for your sake. My son, everything you are feeling, the fault is mine. This is the punishment fit for a liar and I will no longer be blind of it. I accept my fate." Killua gently let go of Elodea's hand, smeared with his blood, "bury your hatred of me along with my body and it will no longer hurt you again. I know better now."

Elodea stood up and turned his back towards Killua, solemnly, "Who said you would be dying here alone?" He started walking towards the chimera ant.

Alligator watched the humans with amusement, "Am I going to be fighting _you_ now? A little pip squeak? If you were the one I sensed a great surge of aura from, how come I wasn't able to sense you before you tried to manipulate me? _Hmmm_ , it doesn't matter." His teeth protruded from his blood drenched jaw, "I haven't had child in a long time."

Vehemently, a shard of lightning flew past Elodea's ear. It split the air, tingling his flesh. Alligator roared at the shard pierced his jaw, roasting and peeling away the surface layer of his scales.

"He's nothing! I am your opponent! Me!" Killua roared, eyes consumed by a storm of unfathomable courage and undeniable fear. He struggled to crawl, dragging his body on the ground, leaving a trial of crimson blood behind him, "finish what you started ant! Fight me!"

Elodea lifted his hand in front of him and began to simulate a pattern.

Alligator shifted its tail in the air, and for once used its pea sized brain to analyze the situation as best that it could. He eyed the little human in front of him and the grown one as well. Alligator sniffed the air. The boy was the man's offspring, despite now having the same scent of blood. That's why the grown one cares so much. Humans are strange creatures, Alligator thought to himself.

Suddenly, a strange scent permeated through the air. Alligator jutted its snout above and felt uncertain. More humans were approaching him, in droves. The ones drenched in aura. He tired of this game and lost his appetite.

Alligator left without a word, trampling over red tinted bones.

Elodea stopped what he was doing and retreated to Killua. Elodea could hear the aura of a squadron of hunters approach them, which sounded like a thousand drums. Until then, Elodea used his sweater to compress Killua's wounds. It became heavily drenched in seconds.

Elodea rubbed his eyes with his wrist. This was all his fault. He should have just stayed behind with Aryel and he wouldn't have caused this much trouble.

"Elodea," Killua said.

Elodea nodded.

"I'm sleepy," Killua said, drowsily. His eyelids tempted to stay shut with every blink.

"That's okay. A hero deserves to rest." Elodea held unto Killua's hand, coated with dry and flaky blood.

"and I could really go for a cheeseburger right now."

"with a side of fries?"

"I'm actually feeling like onion rings with that orange sauce."

"Sriracha?"

"Yup. That's the one. I could really go for that right now." He closed his eyes and stayed silent for a few long moments, and only spoke once again when a medical team arrived. "Elodea."

"Yeah."

"If I wake up again, I hope you will be the first person I see."

On the ambulance, with its siren blaring loudly throughout Diamond City's car busy streets, Elodea stayed by Killua's side next to the paramedics and practitioners, hurriedly operating the ventilators and IV drops sustaining the man's dwindling life.

On a muggy summer night, he was emitted into the emergency care unit of one of Diamond City's numerous hospitals. One that has an abundance of general surgeons that perform countless surgeries in the dead of night. Killua was sutured and cut open and succumbed into a prolonged state of unconsciousness.

Elodea was there. Throughout it all. He would abide by his father's last request.

* * *

The odor of detergent and bleach mixed through Elodea's nose. He eyed the room around him. White curtains. White beds. White walls. White sheets. White trays. Red bandages.

Elodea shifted in his chair, and turned his head towards the cardiograph. His eyes followed the lines that jolted upwards and downwards in a regular pattern. Each curve meant another pulse, another beat of his father's heart. Killua was alive and recovering, but he was sleeping, for eight days straight so far.

Elodea remembered, upon arriving to the hospital, that the reason for his father's admission was kept under security. Instead, a small fabrication of a story was made, and many admonished his father because of the sheer stupidity of it. Apparently, it was a fishing accident gone wrong, as they were told. Fishing at night is dangerous, especially in Diamond City's harbor full of boats and metal buoys and unstable waters and winds cloaked in darkness.

The chimera ant, Alligator, escaped through Diamond City's murky and polluted waters. Alive and on the prowl as it was before attacked by the hunters. Including Killua.

Elodea fumbled with the edge of the white blanket. It was coarse and thin and stiff. There were even some noticeable stains made by previous patients whose marks never left the fabric.

Elodea didn't cease looking down, "I've checked the cafeteria here and asked if they serve onion rings. But they said they don't, sometimes on Thursdays they do, but they said the menus change a lot. I kept going down and asking them too many times and they started getting annoyed with me."

The monitor continued to record Killua's heart.

"But even if they did have it, and I don't think you would like it. Hospital food doesn't really taste that good, but the pudding is okay. You would really like the chocolate pudding."

The IV drop continued to drip.

"The doctor said you would be okay, but he wouldn't tell me everything. He's waiting until you wake up." Elodea tightened his fists, then released them. "He thinks I won't understand anything because I'm a kid, but he's stupid for believing your wounds were caused by an oversized fish hook." Elodea forced a laugh, but it was only a forced and pathetic one.

"You're right. There are barely any people who thank you for what you do. It hurts now that I see it. But I don't think I ever told you. Maybe I forgot or just never did. But did I ever tell you, that you're my hero and everything I wished I could be? Recently I forgot all about that. And even though I still hate myself and everything that I am, I just ended up hurting you too. Y'know what," Elodea hiccupped, "people will still go on and be oblivious of what you do, but I'll never forget everything you've done for me and I just want you to wake up so I can tell you _thank you_ and then you'll tell me to stop crying like you used to and we can laugh and watch movies like we used to and I just wish everything was like it used to be and-

A tender hand was placed upon Elodea's trembling shoulder.

"Elodea," said the nurse sweetly, "do you mind if I interrupt to clean your father's drainage?" A cart of gauze and forceps and alcohol pads laid next to her.

Elodea haphazardly wiped his tears with his sleeves. His eyes were brimmed red and swollen. The nurse handed him an ice pack, but he only fumbled around it with his hands.

The nurse spoke again while unwinding a pack of gauze, "How are you feeling Elodea? I snagged you another cup of chocolate pudding from the lunch trays today. I don't think the diabetic patients will mind so much."

Elodea feigned a smile, "thanks."

"You shouldn't stay coped up in this room all day as you do, it isn't good for a young boy your age." She said, then suddenly peeping eyes were at the doorway and she narrowed her eyes at them annoyed. They spoke.

"Hey Killian, why is that you always get the good-looking patients?"

Killian, the nurse, retorted back, "get back to your rounds, you have patients to treat."

"We know, we know," one said as they were leaving, "just don't ask to marry him when he wakes up."

Killian attempted to throw a pack of gauze at the silly nurses, but they fled from her attacks. She sighed under her breath, until she heard Elodea speak.

"But I don't want to miss it."

"Hmm? Miss what?" she said as she removed the plasma covered drain from one of Killua's many wounds.

"When he wakes up."

She stayed silent, knowing far too well not a crush a child's hopes. Instead, she diligently focused on her task at hand and changed the subject, lightheartedly, "Before I saw you tapping your fingers in a whimsical way, do you play an instrument?"

"Yeah, I play the piano."

"You must like it a lot if melodies flow from your fingertips."

Elodea nodded, barely.

"I knew it!" she smiled, "I also play too. It's a beautiful instrument, right? Although I wished I learned sooner, I just started playing when I signed up for a keyboarding class in college, and after that I was hooked. I bought my own keyboard when the semester ended, a little black one with a metallic lining, was going to buy one from my grandfather's antique store but everything there is so…." she gave a quizzical look.

Elodea stifled a laugh, "is there by any chance your talking about 'Wilburton's Treasure Trove?'"

Her smile widened like a sunbeam, "of miscellaneous and/or significant antiques! That's my grandfather's store! How do you know it?"

"I worked there for a bit. Not anymore though."

"Then you dodged a bullet, his horrible taste would have eventually rubbed off on you."

Elodea laughed, which sounded a little more genuine. "I really liked it there. It was really nice teaching piano."

"You even teach piano? Oh my goodness. Please, I would love to hear you play someday. Invite me to Carnegie hall whenever you're playing. Does your father play too?"

Elodea shook his head, "He would play better with his feet than with his hands."

She laughed then looked back at the unconscious man, "you're lucky he didn't hear you. You don't want that to be the first thing he hears when he wakes up. Otherwise, he would just go back to sleep."

"He's good at a lot of things though. Like singing! He can belt out the alphabet aerobics song by blackilicious without stumbling all over the words, he's good."

She turned towards Killua, "Did you hear that? Your son just gave you redeeming qualities."

When she finished cleaning out and replacing the drainages with new ones and recorded his stable conditions in his file, Elodea showed her the video of Killua rapping the song in all his glory. The nurse was easily impressed by his linguistics.

The nurse, eventually left, continuing with the rest of her rounds. Elodea stayed by Killua's side for hours more, waiting for his eyes to open.

They didn't.

* * *

Elodea quirked up and eyebrow and tapped a finger against his chin, thinking, as he stood in front of the vending machine. What was better? Cheesy puffs or cheesy curls? There was a great difference, but which one should he get?

In the end, he opted for the curls. There were more of them in a single, air puffed bag anyway. He walked throughout the hallways, like the nurse practically begged him to do and then he stumbled across a familiar aura.

Elodea crouched down and hid behind a wheelchair, nervously. He stole a quick glance into the room across from it and he truly became anxious because of it. He munched on another cheese curl to ease his woe.

Elodea internally screamed. It was the boy from the A.K.U support group. It was the boy that bullied him in the bathroom. It was the boy whom Elodea first experimented his cursed nen ability on. Elodea was the reason this doofus was sent to the hospital in the first place.

The boy was lying his bed with snacks and video games all around him, of course. It looked like his mother and maybe grandmother was with him too. The mom wore a superfluous amount of plastic, gaudy jewelry. Rings, bracelets, necklaces and headbands. Then he looked at the boy and Elodea could have sworn, from the boy's red, swollen eyes that he was crying. No, couldn't be. The ruthless and cold hearted don't have the humanity to cry.

The wheelchair was carted away which forced Elodea to flee, but the 'mother' saw him and, unfortunately, immediately recognized him.

"Thio," the woman gestured to her boy, jubilantly. Oh right, that was his name, 'Thio.' "Isn't that one of your little friends from A.K.U? Ah, you should talk with each other!"

"Mom," Thio whined.

 _Run!_ Elodea thought. He was just about to make his escape, until the woman called out.

"Yooohoooo! Elodea," then she quickly turned to Thio asking him if she got the boy's name right. He grunted in response. In truth, she didn't really need to ask since she is an active member of the A.K.U committee and practically knows who everyone is, even if they did only attend one meeting. "Your friend Thio is right here!"

"Mom! Stop!" Thio whined, not so quietly.

Elodea sheepishly waved back, trying not to make a sour face. No sooner, did she get a hold of him and dragged him towards his _friend_ for a _friendly_ chat.

She spoke to Elodea, "You're a very sweet boy. You're the first to visit Thio."

"Oh, really?" Elodea asked.

Thio scoffed, "That's only because all of my friends are busy."

She smiled at Elodea, her bracelets jingled like Christmas bells. "Don't mind his grumpiness, I bet he's secretly happy you came to visit him. He just won't admit it."

"Am not," Thio hissed.

"Elodea, we've haven't seen you at any more meetings lately. Did you not like it? We try to make them the best we can for everyone. If there anything we can change, let us know. Okay?" She added with a wink.

"Um…. thanks."

"C'mon Fran, let's let the boys have fun without two old ladies watching over their shoulders like hawks." Thio practically begged her not to leave. When Elodea and Thio were the only ones in the room, silences ensued. It was horribly awkward.

Thio looked away and Elodea knew he was unwanted.

"Look, I don't mean to disappoint you, mostly your mom, but my dad was emitted into the hospital, that's the only reason I'm here." Elodea stood up, "I should go back now."

Thio finally looked at Elodea, "So you can actually talk? That's a surprise."

"It's not that I can't, I just choose those who I want to share my voice with."

Thio folded his arms, grumpily. "You said your dad's here? Lucky."

Elodea gritted his teeth then spoke, "Why is that lucky? He's in the ICU, and he's been in a coma for days and I don't even know if he'll wake up…." Elodea stopped the words from escaping his mouth.

"A coma? I'd wish my dad would be sent to the hospital. Maybe if someone smashed a bottle over his head at his favorite bar he's always at, then maybe he'll finally come and see me."

"At least you have a mother and grandmother—

"Grandma? That's not my grandma. She's just the old lay who rents outs a room of our house to live in. She just tags along with mom for everything. Mom likes the company, but I don't. She's so nosy and smells like peppermint." Thio wrinkled his nose at the thought.

"Honestly, I can't smell anything else but detergent and clean wipes from staying in here so long. I couldn't even smell these cheese curls." Elodea revealed the scrunched up plastic bag from his pocket.

"It helps if you pinch your nose," Thio tried to move, but winced from the movement, little as it was. His appendix was successfully removed, the only thing left was the drainage inside him that had to be cleaned and replaced twice a day by nurses. But the removal of a drainage hurts more than a ruptured appendix.

"So. When did you find out about your adoption?"

"You're blunt."

"I'm just curious."

"A few weeks ago. Happy?"

"Seriously? No wonder your so…." Thio caught Elodea's stare and decided that it was best not to finish that sentence.

Elodea bit the inside of his cheek, "what about you?"

"When I was seven, but my mom always kept telling me before that. But I was seven when I actually figured out what 'adoption' meant and when the kids in my class kept asking me who my _real_ mom is."

Elodea sat back down, "what did you tell them?"

"That my real mom is the one who waits for me when I get home from school every day. That's all there is to it. Do you know who your biological parents are?"

Elodea hesitated for a moment, his biological parents are most likely dead. The chance that they are alive is slim to nothing. Even if they were alive, would they even want to meet him? No, why would they? They deserted him and left him to die in that fire. "No, I don't."

"Yeah," Thio said, "Neither do I." And in those words, laid comfort. Thio fumbled with his hands then grabbed his DS, resuming a game he was playing. The sound was turned on and Elodea heard the soundtrack music of a familiar game. Thio cursed as he repeatedly pressed down on buttons, "shit."

"You're playing _Earl of the Silver Rings_?"

Thio cursed once more then spoke, "Yeah, but I'm stuck in Dungeon's Drench and that fat whale won't let me escape."

Elodea stood up and walked towards the door, but stopped, "you know, there is a secret escape portal through the sunken pirate ship, that will take you to the next town. Just feed the eel that guards it a gold starfish and it will let you pass."

"…Thanks."

"Oh," Elodea turned around, he almost forgot, "and I'm sorry." Then he left.

"Huh? What are you sorry for?" Thio questioned, louder. "Sorry for what?"

But it was too late, Elodea left and especially left him hanging on those confusing words. Thio resumed his game again, and did as Elodea said. Feeding the star to the eel; and it worked. He made it through Dungeon's Drench in one piece. Elodea was cooler than he initially thought he was.

Thio felt the side of his wound hurt a little less, just a little.

* * *

Elodea's make shift bed consisted of three wooden chairs stacked next to each other. He huddled into a tight ball with the thin sheet wrapped around him. Shielding him from the cold of the air conditioner that never ceased working.

He neatly folded his clothes and used them as a pillow, while his sneakers laid tucked underneath his chair. He heard the hum of the air conditioner and shivered.

The only light that illuminated the room was Killua's heart monitor that beamed with green and red and white lines traveling across the black screen. Then here was the moon, shining brightly on Elodea's eyes. He covered his head with the thin sheet.

"When you get released from the hospital, let's play _Earl of the Silver Rings_ again. We haven't played that in a while." Elodea said, "and I promise not to kick your avatar's butt this time."

He heard Killua breathe. Elodea hoped to hear a laugh or a retort or something else beside the silence.

Then he saw a stir and a twitch of a hand. Elodea quickly rose from his covers and muttered, "Dad?" His blood pumped with anticipation, so he waited and waited for a long time.

There was no more movement after that. Elodea's heart sunk at the false alarm of his father's revival. He went back to bed, mournfully.

"Good night, dad." Elodea yawned, "Please wake up tomorrow. I'll be here, by your side. That's a promise."

Elodea fell asleep to the hum of the machinery sustaining his father's life. He heard the sound of Killua's aura, how it was so light and quiet, but very peaceful. A simple sound he never thought would be so comforting.

* * *

 **Hi-Hi! Thank you so much for reading!**

 **So, the beginning snippet was a flashback from the good old days, of when father and son enjoyed each other's company. Also, did you enjoy my 'lord of the rings' parody? LOL May 'Earl of the Silver Rings' prosper XD SO! What did you think of the chapter?**

 **Elodea met some interesting people at the hospital, some came with pleasant surprises and others...well, not so much XD Okay, I'm really excited for the next couple of chapters b/c that's all the nitty-gritty stuff I can't wait to get to! (okay, when I say keep stuff in the back of your mind, I really mean it, like the talk about the bio parents, *cough* very important *cough* ) Will killua survive? Hmmmmm...**

 **Thank you for the support, I really appreciate! ( I won't be a grumpy like Thio! Promise! And thanks Yui for getting me out of my writing slump) So I hope you guys liked this chapter *high fives for everyone***

 **OH! I want to ask a question! Which ATWW/HXH character would you like to play a video game with? I'd play with Elodea, but honestly he has no concept of the word 'teamwork' and will most likely desert me in Goblins Grove like with Killua XD So I'd like to play with Gen, mainly because he won't try to kill me LOL**

 **Thanks again! Bye-bye!**


	31. Chapter 28: A x Weed's x War

**Chapter 28: A x Weed's x War**

 _He was standing there, peacefully_

 _And laughed sweetly like honeydew_

 _Underneath the shade of a drifting cloud_

 _He turned around, once, and a miracle happened_

 _His smile was that of a thousand noble suns_

 _And his eyes shimmered grandly like amethyst stones_

 _But along came the fire_

 _It trickled up from his feet to his legs to his arms_

 _Consuming him whole_

 _Searing. Scorching. Scalding_

 _Transforming his sweet smile into ash_

 _Then he was gone_

* * *

In Kukan'yu Kingdom there lays a small town. It is a town surrounded by a sea of sapphire jewels basking in the golden light of the sun. Pearl ships sail upon these crystal blue waters, while seagulls fly above and sweep below feasting on the abundance of an overflowing abundance of fish. This is the town of Korfu. It is radiant and it is beautiful. And it was where many refugees settled after the rebel uprisings that plagued the Kukan'yu Islands, more than a decade ago.

The market was crowded upon crowded of strangers whom all shared one common goal. Their bellies were grumbling and their fridges were empty; it was time to replenish one's soul by restocking on scrumptious goodies.

Glass bottles hung above the woman as she gazed upon the wide fish eyes that gazed back upon her. They were dull and bleak and lifeless. She lifted her woven basket and it hung on her arm as if it was a hook. Her fingers hovered across the scaly fish, delicately. Her hand stopped momentarily over orange scales and red eyes, only to be brought back towards herself again, pondering.

"Excuse me," she waved over to an employee. "How much is the salmon?"

The man, finally realizing he was wanted in the front lines, burnt out his cigar by crushing it on the ground. The smoke vanished between the ground and his black boot. Quickly, he shuffled over to the woman, and tipped his canvas hat at her, chivalrously. "Good morning Ma'am. What can I assist you with?"

The woman exhaled, sharply, "What is the price for the salmon?"

The man leaned over the counter to swipe a quick glance at the sticker of the fish's marked up price. He said, confidently, "thirty Jenny per pound ma'am."

"Is it wild caught?" She asked, lifting a fish from its mouth with the tips of her fingers.

The man smiled, "Yes ma'am, all the fish you see here were freshly caught today in Korfu harbor. If that fish wasn't swimming its flippers off in the harbor an hour ago, it wouldn't be out here on the table."

The woman was just about to make her decision until a pair of little hands pulled at her skirt, not so softly. "Auntie Nia, I want to go home," the little girl whined. She wore a black little dress embroidered with silver and blue thread, with a white collar and red shoes, and finally there was a little red bow placed delicately on her sunlight hued hair. Her hair coiled like grapevines and bounced against her rosy cheeks. The young girl stood up on her tiptoes as she leaned her face into the woman's dress and whined. The woman huffed and eyed the ground next to her.

"Adeline," she said sternly, but not harshly, "pick up your broom. This is not the nursery to just throw your toys around without a thought. Pick up your broom before someone trips over it, go on."

Adeline bent down and picked up her broom, which was composed of a twig, half the size of herself, and a handful of hay tied to the end of it with frayed strings. She hopped in place and leaped unto her broom, happily, "witches are supposed to fly in the sky and make potions and cast curses on people."

"You aren't going to cast a curse on me, are you?" Auntie Nia asked.

Adeline stopped hopping and shook her head from shoulder to shoulder, adamantly. "Never on you! I will never curse my dear Auntie Nia, but I'll curse anyone who hurts you, with my magic. They will rue the day they did!" She whipped out her magic wand from her back pocket, which was composed of a beautiful stick with shimmering fabric with a silver star adorned at the top. Slivers of a translucent veil hung below the star, as Adeline twirled her wand above and around her head, it looked as if the magic followed alongside her.

"Yesterday you were a princess of a long and forgotten kingdom. Today you are a benevolent sorceress protecting an old maiden, what will you be tomorrow?"

"A dragon!" Adeline leaped into the air. "Or a stack of waffles!"

"Which will be another costume I have to make."

"I love everything you make me Auntie Nia! They are so beautiful and better then what Mama buys me. But I love you the most!" She nuzzled her head against Nia's dress once more.

The woman sighed and lifted her woven basket, she patted Adeline gently on the head and softly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The women then turned back to the fisherman, "I'll take three pounds of the salmon and," she narrowed her gaze upon many more options, "one pound of scallops and another pound of prawns."

"Yes ma'am." The man said as he put on his plastic gloves. He first grabbed the salmon and proceeded to extract the thin bones, wherever they were hiding in the meat.

Adeline stumped her foot on the ground, "but I don't like prawns."

"You will learn to like them. Drizzle them with a bit of olive oil and they are delicious. That is that," the woman said, bluntly. Adeline quickly amused herself by pointing her magical wand at the fisherman as he was placing a bag of ice along with the rest of the fish. He quickly ducked for cover and looked over his shoulder to see the spell Adeline almost cast upon him. It flew past the storage room, hitting a few pots and pans, then it finally flew out the back door. Phew. That was a close one. Adeline giggled at the man's humorous acting.

The man placed all the fish into Nia's basket, neat and orderly. Then he topped it all off with a bag of cool ice and a booklet of coupons. Nia was a frequent costumer. "This is enough for a king's banquet. Please invite me over to your house for dinner."

"And what will you bring with you?" she asked, jokingly.

"An empty stomach." He laughed.

"I'm only a nanny, that's all I am." She said goodbye to the man and retrieved Adeline from terrorizing a cat. The little witch had it cowering underneath a wheeled cart full of discounted broccoli that started to go bad. The green tips started to wilt and yellow. Adeline was waving her wand at the cat, casting and un-casting spells on it. She is a witch in training after all. For today at least. Tomorrow she might be a dragon or a stack of crisp and buttery waffles.

The woman left with a basket full of fish in one arm and a rambunctious toddler in the other. The girl waved her wand back at the cat, releasing it from the dreaded curse she placed upon it. Bubbles would no longer flow out of the cat's mouth whenever it meowed to its feline sweet heart, she ultimately saved the kitty from a lifetime of sadness. What a generous witch she is.

The cat slowly peeked its head out from underneath the cart when the wicked child left. Then it swift-fully ran away from the little beastie with its tail pointing towards the sky. Debris kicked up in its tracts as it darted through the crowd.

"Auntie Nia," Adeline said, sweetly. She jumped from coble stone to coble stone without stepping on the cracks, she did not want to break her lovely Auntie Nia's back. How considerate is she. She continued looking down, "will you tell me another story of him again?"

"Not now, Addie darling." _Addie_ is a term of endearment, while _Adeline_ usually means the little witch is to be scolded and placed in time out. Like the time she brought in a newt from the garden and placed it in one of the housemaids' skirts, the maid almost had a heart attack from the mischievous act. It was also the same day that maid retired. Oh well. "I have more errands to run."

The little witch pouted her cheeks, which resembled the color of an evening sunset, "but I want to you to tell me another story about the boy with the purple jewel eyes again." She kicked a pebble that skipped two steps ahead. "He's cute."

"You think so?"

"Yes!" Adeline smiled.

"I think so too," the corners of her lips tilted upwards, barely. It was a smile, but there was no warmth within it. "Well, I did have another dream about him last night…"

Adeline squealed like a piglet without any warning, Nia closed her eyes tight. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Pleeeeeease tell me Auntie!"

"I will tell you," Nia said, with a wink. "After we finish all the errands."

Adeline whined, a little more loudly. She dragged her broom on the cobble stone road.

"Come along Addie, and quit dragging your broom I worked so hard to make for you."

Adeline hunched over and walked rather sluggishly, holding her broom in the palm of her hand. She could not, absolutely would not, definitely undeniably, wait twenty minutes from now (maybe even less) to hear of the mysterious boy she so desperately loves! "But can I ask a question?"

Nia mumbled, uncertainly. "Alright, ask away."

Adeline's sweet soul of a witch rejuvenated, "When will he wake up from his sleeping curse?"

The woman stayed silent for a few moments. Pretending to read the street signs of the small harbor town of Korfu in Kukan'yu Kingdom, but all she saw were squiggly lines and letters she could not read. Then she saw a mother sitting down on a bench cradling her little babe swaddled in blue blankets. She turned her head away from the heartache and spoke, "Addie dearest, he's been asleep for a very long time." She said, quietly.

"Will true loves kiss wake him up? I will find him and kiss him and he'll wake up for you! Because true loves kiss triumphs over everything, even the toughest of curses. Once he wakes up, we'll get married and have thirty-two kids."

"Oh my," said Nia. "That's a lot of mouths to feed. Don't except me to take care of all of them. I already have my hands full with you and your baby brother Stephonn."

Suddenly, a mouse ran across the road. Then so did a cat. Then a dog. Then Adeline, but Nia stopped the child before she stepped one foot on the road.

"Addie dearest, you are a bright, young mind. As wonderful as your idea is," Nia said, "He will not wake up. That is that."

* * *

Killua woke up.

Sometime during the night, when the moonlight painstakingly blinded his eyes. He squinted, waking up in a disorienting haze.

He mumbled some words, but his throat was dry and soar and nothing came out.

He saw the ventilators. He saw the heart monitor, keeping track of the beat of his own heart. Then came the pain pulsating from his legs and abdomen. Suddenly he remembered what happened and realized where he was.

That chimera ant sent him to the hospital. Killua scoffed. When he ever gets the chance again, he will pulverize that oversized purse and turn it into a pair of shiny, tacky boots.

In that battle, there was that first attack that almost killed Killua, but he was saved. Elodea saved him from the first blow, he was sure of it.

But then Alligator threw Elodea up in the air and attempted to catch him in his jaws….Elodea! Where is his boy?

He became calm when he looked over and saw Elodea. He was sleeping soundly on a couple of chairs and huddled into a tight ball with a blanket wrapped snugly around him. Elodea breathed in and exhaled, quietly.

Killua outstretched his arm, slowly. His limb felt like concrete and lifting it up put strain on his shoulder. He held his arm out towards Elodea, fingers stretched. But he barely was able to touch a hair on Elodea's head. Killua croaked, "Elodea." Hoping to wake him up, selfish as it was.

Elodea breathed in once more, undisturbed. The air conditioner continued to hum and Elodea shivered a bit.

Killua leaned further with the pain trailing behind him. He groaned, lightly. He grabbed his own blanket and tossed it over Elodea, shielding him from the cold. Then he parted Elodea's bangs which seemed to poke him in the eyes. He parted back a strand and then another and smiled.

Then he decided to let the boy sleep. He will surprise him in the morning.

His son is sleeping. His son is alive. His son is safe.

And that's all that matters.

* * *

Elodea stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Morning has arrived early. He heard a crack in his wrist and boisterous chatter in the room. Which brought his attention to the entrance of the room and the plethora of nurses and residents and some attendings that probably had somewhere else to be, but chose to stay here.

Then he heard someone speak that had him jumping out of his makeshift bed. Killua spoke with a grin on his face, "Elodea, I heard you badmouthed me to the nurse-

Elodea practically jumped into Killua's arms, causing the bed to jut abruptly against the wall and Killua to yelp. Elodea practically wailed and reverted to his toddler self to the time when he could only babble incomprehensible words.

Nurses cheered. Residents clapped, and that one diabetic patient, who got an amputation below the knee, shed a tear. What a joyous occasion. If there was a confetti canon it would go off, shooting off sparkles and balloons and streamers far into the sky line. There is no doubt about that. But this is a hospital, and people need to be ' _professional'_ and ' _not make a scene_.' As you may have guessed, the director of the Diamond City hospital is very conservative. Although he claims to not be as conservative as some say, he recently paid for the installment of those fancy toilets that do the spritz-spritz on one's bum-bum. A very liberal move.

Finally, Elodea was able to speak clearly, but his head was still nuzzled against Killua's chest, with his nose poking against the collar bone. "D-Dad, you're awake! I've been waiting for so long and I-I-I was beginning to think you'd never wake up again." Elodea sniffled, madly.

His father was covered with tubes and needles and bandages, but he finally awoke. Everything will be okay from now on.

"Thank god you are alright! I don't know what I would have done otherwise. I missed you so much. I actually woke up in the middle of the night and I saw you laying there across from me." Killua kissed the top of Elodea's head and ruffled his hair that hasn't been washed in a while, but Killua was no better. No wonder the nurses weren't goggling inches from him, he had a protective barrier of stench surrounding him. "Thank you for keeping your promise."

"I told you I would never leave you. Don't doubt me."

"I never do."

A scruffy looking doctor pushed his way into the room, first admonishing his coworkers, "one patient does not need a staff of twenty nurses aiding him. And you!" he pointed to one of the scolded, "You're supposed to be giving a colon irrigation treatment in room 666, and you're already fifteen minutes late on that. Get to it!" The nurse waved the pesky doctor off and went on their way like many of the others.

The doctor huffed and slicked back his hair out of frustration. He grabbed his iPad with his patient's information on it and proceeded to walk towards Killua. This was the man who performed Killua's surgery. He sniffed his nose and took a step back, rather noticeably. "How are you feeling Mr. Menfitz? Sleep well?"

"Yes, but it's cold in here." Killua said, thinking of Elodea shivering from the night before.

"Then I'll tell the staff to regulate the air-conditioning system leading to your room. Also, you are free to be dispatched from the hospital whenever you are ready, but I would like to discuss your post-op and further treatment with you."

Elodea was confused, _further treatment?_ Wasn't his dad going to be all better now?

From the corner of Killua's eye, he caught Elodea's gaze. That's when his stomach conveniently growled and Killua spoke to him, "Elodea, I'm starving. Can you get me something, anything to eat, I don't care what it is? But if they have onion rings. Get me the onion rings."

Elodea stood all fired up, clenched his fist and jumped over Killua's bed in one breath, "you got it!" He will prove himself to be useful! Then he ran out of the room, almost toppling over a wheelchair, and then someone yelled 'no running in the hallway!'

Killua smiled, "that's my son." Ah, he is so proud.

Doctor Drast didn't take his eyes off the file, not listening. Finally, he looked up, "I like to discuss with you the nature of your injuries, it was a 'fishing accident,' correct?" He asked, skeptically.

Killua's brow twitched. The association couldn't come up with a more believable lie? Now he was drawn as some moron who can't even reel in a guppy. "If that's what they told you, then yes."

Drast took off his glasses, solemnly. He as seen many cuts and ruptures and injuries throughout his fifty-seven years practicing medicine, this was no _fish hook_ accident, and most importantly, this was not an average man. He was speaking to someone from an entirely different world, yet he spoke to him like any other patient. "There was a total of one hundred and three puncture wounds that damaged your musculoskeletal system." He paused, "some were deep, reaching all the way to your bones, while others were shallow. Three incisors and several bicuspids were also dissected from the wounds as well. In all of my years as a licensed physician I have never encountered anything as horrendous as this, not the injuries themselves, but the fact that you survived them. I will not ask what you did, or your profession, because it is probably far out of my comprehension. A _normal_ person would have died. I undoubtedly presume that you are anything, but _normal_. If you don't mind me, I'll be sticking to what I know without prying into your personal affairs. The injuries will heal and there will be scaring, but that is not what you or I should be most concerned of."

"Thank you for your concern, but I've dealt with worse."

"I'm sure you have. Those wounds may be sown up and healing, but their effects are not fleeting. You'll be living with them for the rest of your life. It's a good thing you sent your boy out, I wouldn't want him to hear these things if I was in your predicament."

Killua nodded and strained to sit up more comfortably in bed. He will spare Elodea the details of his injuries.

Doctor Drast spoke of the damage. The monster's teeth cut through many layers and fibers of muscle tissue, overall impairing the contraction and movement of the muscles, temporarily paralyzing the legs. The abdominal muscles such as the external and internal abdominal oblique and rectus abdominis suffered from the attacks but not as badly as the thighs and legs. The razor teeth sliced many of the abductor and adducter muscles in half and ripping through the extensor and flexor muscles. Despite them, being sutured together for the time being, under continual use muscles stretch and pull and work. The sutures will tear and become undone and Killua will have to go under the operating table again. Then, after some time, those sutures will tear and become undone and Killua will revisit the knife once more. The process will continue to repeat. Until surgery will no longer be an option and Killua will have to live the rest of his days crippled in a wheelchair.

He will need surgery every seven to ten years or so to be able to walk properly.

But there will come a time, later in his years, when his legs will not obey him and will not move for him. There will come a time when he will no longer be able to run or walk or stand firmly on two legs.

And deep down in Killua's heart, he felt that he deserved this punishment.

* * *

Elodea stood silently in the hallway next to the hospital door of Killua's room. He held a metal tray that consisted of food he could get his hands on quickly. There was a plate of meatloaf and peas and mashed potatoes drizzled with golden-brown gravy and another plate of macaroni and cheese with broccoli. There was a plastic container containing a turkey and cheese sandwich with mayonnaise and mustard on the side, a bowl of crispy onion rings that the cafeteria chefs made because Elodea was nagging them so much, three bottles of water, and a small container of jelly with cut fruit jiggling on the inside. The cafeteria unfortunately ran out of chocolate pudding.

Nurses passed him and so did patients and even Thio with his mom and the lady that smells like peppermint, Fran. They all passed Elodea without even noticing, without a turn of a head or bat of their lashes.

By masking his aura, Elodea felt that he can truly become invisible in a crowd full of strangers. He looked down at the tray in his hands and saw the jelly jiggle a bit. A nurse passed him wheeling an elderly lady in a wheelchair. The woman laughed and talked about the handsome man with white hair and said that she wouldn't mind getting a piece of that action.

Elodea felt his insides curdle from the remark, okay so maybe being invisible has its disadvantages. You hear things you really shouldn't hear, like an old lady having the hots for your dad, which isn't really that surprising, but most importantly, eavesdropping on Dr. Drast and Killua's private conversation. He heard everything the doctor had to say.

Elodea's back slid back against the wall. He ruined his father's life.

He shouldn't have intervened during the mission. What an idiot he was for thinking he could help. He only made things worse. But none of this would have happened if he just obeyed and stayed behind. No. It all started on that fateful day in Kukan'yu. Killua made a dreadful mistake of taking him home. Elodea was no son of Killua. He was only a burden.

When the doctor left, Elodea waited a few moments to charge into the room. Feigning a smile and feigning laughter as he placed the tray on the sliding table next to Killua's bed. Killua, whole-heartedly, gobbled down everything on the plate. Elodea even snatched an onion ring here and there, and Killua smacked his hand away, here and there.

"I haven't eaten in days, I'm starving."

"Just say the word and I'll run back to the cafeteria and get you more food. The lunch-ladies _love_ me."

"I'm sure they do."

"Only two forcibly kicked me out."

"Only two? Very good."

"So," Elodea patted his knees, rhythmically, "What did the doctor say?"

Killua stirred the red jelly in the cup, trying to remove the mysterious fruit bits. If they were even fruit, "I'm going to take some time off from work, for physical therapy which is mandatory for the next few months and lots of rest. Then I'll be back on track." Killua spooned aside the pieces of 'fruit' then finally eating the jelly desert. He said no more and Elodea did not question any further.

He should have known. His father would not tell him, even if he did ask.

* * *

Killua was released from the hospital shortly after. He wanted to go home. He wanted to eat his own food. He wanted to sleep in his own bed. And he wanted to shower without some nurse ogling him with a sponge in hand.

But when he got home, he realized that he couldn't do all the things he wanted to without Elodea's help. The first problem he faced was truly a formidable one. It was him and his wheelchair and the four flights of stairs leading up to their apartment. For a split second, he thought he could camp outside in the parking lot, but thankfully there was a rusty old elevator near the custodian's office, and the first problem was solved.

The days past with Killua being bedridden. He was authorized to take the drainages out himself, which he did, but Elodea helped him with areas he painfully couldn't reach. Elodea helped him get in and out of bed, to and from the bathroom. Elodea cooked all the meals and even made dishes with lots of effort even though Killua said he only wanted instant ramen noodles or easy to make cheese sandwiches. Elodea did all the chores; cleaning, grocery shopping, laundry even though Killua said that he should be more of kid and not be stuck at home with him all day.

But Elodea didn't listen and did all that he could.

Things were going well, days turned into weeks and Killua was no longer deemed bedridden. His physical therapy was going very well. He could walk up steps without using the railings to balance himself. He could walk and take care of himself as long as he had a pair of crutches by his side.

But as Killua slowly healed day by day. Elodea's emotions slowly relapsed, day by day.

Most regrettably, the bottle that sealed away his emotions and feelings burst unexpectedly when he was having a skype chat with Gen that should have made him happy, but only made him restless.

Gen kept asking one question over and over again, because Elodea would not give him an answer, over and over again. It was a topic that struck a deep nerve in Elodea.

Gen asked innocently, while the computer screen glitched, "why are you adopted?"

Elodea changed the topic, swiftly, "Gen, did you watch that movie we talked about last time? Y'know, with that really funny guy and the giant green blob." Elodea laughed even though there was no joke to laugh at, then he gestured with his hands, "there's even a flying car. You would really like that movie, what's not to like about artificial intelligent goo that has a mind of its own."

Gen continued his own topic, "I thought Uncle Coal is your daddy."

"He is," Elodea said, quickly. "On second thought, maybe you wouldn't like that movie. AH! What about that one where Peter pan goes back to Neverland all grown up to save his kids?"

"But Elodea," Gen whined, "I still don't know what adoption means-

"It has that famous actor in it too. Y'know, I'd also suggest _The Godfather_ as a movie recommendation, but you are waaaay too young for that. Let's watch it together when you're older." Elodea knew every juicy fact about The Godfather Trilogy. When watching the movies, he was his own director's commentary. _Did you know this was where the movie was filmed_ and _This scene was actually an improvisation but it was too good it couldn't be cut_ and _Marlon Brando (AKA the master himself, who played the great Don Corleone) got the puffy ckeek look by using cotton balls instead of marshmallows._

"Elodea, I still don't get-

"Fine!" Elodea snapped, "it means my dad isn't actually my real dad, uncle Gon and aunt Alluka aren't actually my real uncle and aunt, and you are not my real cousin…." those final words dripped like syrup out of Elodea's mouth as he saw Gen's face begin to scrunch up and turn red.

Gen sniffled, the first of many.

"Wait Gen, I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry, you are my cousin, I'm sorry! wait—

Gen jumped off of his chair and ran off screen, crying loudly. Elodea called out into his computer screen, yelling for Gen to come back to him. He never did.

Elodea slammed his fist against the keyboard and exited the chat. He hunched over, and ran a hand through his hair.

Killua limped into the room with the aid of his crutches. He hobbled towards Elodea and asked, "Weren't you talking to Gen just now. I heard crying, what happened?"

"It's his fault. He's so sensitive."

Killua leaned forward and began typing on the keyboard.

"What are you doing?" Elodea asked.

"Whatever you said to Gen, you have to apologize for it." Killua said, not averting his eyes from the screen.

Elodea felt taken back, "Why do I have to apologize? He kept asking me about my adoption and I didn't want to answer."

Killua looked straight at Elodea, "he's a little kid, he doesn't know any better."

"He doesn't know any better? The kid reads Shakespeare for Christ's sake! And I hate talking about my adoption."

"Elodea," Killua paused. "You're going to apologize to Gen, I don't want to hear any more excuses."

"Oooooh," Elodea mocked, "do you want me to lie sugar coat the truth to him, like you always do?"

"I do not lie to you," Killua paused. "Not anymore I don't."

"Why did you even take me with you on that day in Kukan'yu? You saw everything, you were there. They left me there, all alone in that fire…..that should have said something of how unwanted I was."

Killua limped towards Elodea, "From the moment I held you in my arms, I knew you were mine to protect. Remember what I've always told you, we have the same hearts."

"Bull!" Elodea sneered at the word, same hearts, another lie. "You told just told me that whenever I felt like I didn't belong because I was getting closer and closer to the truth and you didn't like that. And protect!? I know you. And you never turn down anyone who needs help. You pitied me. That's all you did! So, when is this mission going to be over? When I turn 18 and I'm out of your hands for good?"

"What mission?! Is this what it looks like to you? Is me loving and caring for you, my own son, a mission?" Killua said, voice rising. "If I didn't love you, you wouldn't be here. Is that what you wanted? To be all alone and tossed around from one god forsaken foster home to another in Kukan'yu. It is a kingdom of disease and poverty. You were born and raised in a war. In a god-damn war. And you got out. Every day, you should be thankful you live a good life."

Elodea looked down and whispered, "but the war came with me."

"You are loved more than you will ever know, Elodea. You are loved by Gen, Kurapika, Leorio, Alluka, Gon, Mito, Granny Freecs, and myself." Killua said, "It breaks my heart that you cannot see that."

"What did love ever do for you?" Elodea asked, tears swelled in his eyes, "I heard what the doctor said and it's all because of me, you'll lose the ability to walk someday because of me," He pulled onto his hair, hyperventilating.

Killua sighed, so Elodea heard everything from the hospital. "That? Doctors tend to be stern towards their patients to scare them into healthy habits. Revaluations and procedures are natural for the healing process. It's nothing to worry about, I'm going to be fine."

"Dad," Elodea hiccupped, "please stop lying, for my sake. Please stop."

"Elodea, listen to me. Don't worry yourself over it."

"Stop sugarcoating the truth!"

Elodea released his grip and spoke slowly, "I'm jealous of Gen. He's so lucky to be like his parents. I hate that he even looks like you too. He's so lucky that belongs in so many ways that I'll never even begin to understand what it feels like. I hate him because he's more of a real son to you than I am!"

"Elodea, stop! Do you even hear yourself?!"

Elodea continued. "That's how people around us see that. Out in public, I hate people thinking that I'm with some stranger than with my dad. It's disgusting!" The worst memory that Elodea has ever experienced in public was the time when he and Killua were both at the airport and got into a little scuttle (over nothing but who's going to get the window seat on the plane ride), someone called security thinking that a potential kidnapping was going to occur. A security guard even stepped in-between Elodea and Killua, thinking the worse. Then there is always the suspicious side-ways gazes and condescending whispers.

"That's what idiots do best. They pry their noses into other people's personal lives thinking they have a say in matters that aren't their own."

Elodea only shook his head, "You should have just left me there in that fire….." Elodea mumbled. Finally, the dam broke and he screamed, "you should have just left me there to die!"

Elodea's cheek burned.

Killua breathed, uneasily. He looked at his hand, raised in the air and felt the sudden impact it made. Shocked. Realization quickly sunk into his head as he looked back and forth between his hand and Elodea. What has he done? He hit his own child. "I-I'm sorry. Elodea, I'm sorry. Are you-

"I hate you." Elodea brushed past Killua and towards the door.

"Come back here."

Elodea haphazardly grabbed his coat and hastily put it on.

"Where are you going?"

Elodea slipped on his sneakers, not even bothering to tie the laces.

"Where are you going?" Killua repeated. He attempted to walk towards Elodea and stop him himself, but a sharp pain spread throughout his leg and reached towards the end of his back, and he stumbled over his steps. He balanced himself, leaning against the wall and he cursed beneath his breath.

"Out."

Elodea slammed the door behind him, hastily walking down the apartment steps. He stepped onto the side walk, with the silver streets lights illuminating his pathway throughout a sea of darkness all around him. He held his phone closely to his ear. The screen felt cold against his skin. He spoke, clearly, "hey, do you wanna hang out?"

* * *

Gon kneeled next to the cupboard underneath the kitchen sink. Cries and whimper and sniffles were heard behind it. He knocked on the wooden panel and spoke, "Gen, what's the matter?"

Gen sniffled.

"Gen, open up."

"Noooo." Gen whimpered.

Gon sighed, "at least, can I have a pan? I'm going to be making kettle corn."

Gen sluggishly opened up the cupboard doors, and sniffled with several bowls in his hands, "steel or clad?"

Gon's heart was split in two when his saw his child huddled in the corner, with his arms tightly wrapped around his knees and bowls filled his own tears. Finally he cradled Gen out of the cupboard and into his arms. Gen cried out loud, tears and snot dripping down his face, "Elodea doesn't love me anymore!"

"He didn't say that."

"No," Gen cried, "but that's what he meant."

Gon cradled Gen in arms and brought him towards the kitchen table. Alluka rushed in, worriedly and stroked Gen's back as he continued to cry. She said, "Gen, you will always and forever be close to Elodea. You're like brothers. Elodea loves you and you should never forget that. But right now, he's going through a very difficult stage in his life. His actions do not reflect his best self. Please understand that."

"B-b-but," Gen let out a long and high-pitched whine. "Elodea said we are not cousins, when we are! Why would he say that!?" Gen blew his nose in his father's sweater, Gen made up his mind that his father did not mind. "He was so mean!"

"Gen," Alluka said, softly. "Elodea did not mean what he said. He is trying to come to terms with his adoption and that can be a really hard thing for some people." Gen was still in hysterics even when he was given a strawberry popsicle to ease his woe. It worked for a while, until there was nothing left but the soggy stick of the treat. He began to cry all over again with his mouth covered in sticky, red syrup.

"Family," Gon said, "is more than blood. For at least a decade of my life, I've spent it searching for my own father whom always sent me on the run, which on many occasions almost sent me to my death. There was even this one time I followed my old man into a video game and had to team up with this bizarre clown that…" Gon stopped when Alluka gave him a look saying _don't you dare taint our son's innocent ears_ , "…anyway….in the end I didn't get closer to my father."

Gen wrinkled his nose, "I don't like clowns. They're creepy."

Gon laughed, truthfully, "tell me about it. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, I've met people who are more of a family to me than my own father. Even though we are connected by blood. Leorio is more of a dad to me than Grandpa Ging is."

"I like Uncle Leorio, he's funny, gives me piggy back rides, and," Gen smiled, tears drying away. "He gives the best presents."

Alluka chimed in, "Elodea loves you with all his heart and so do you, and that has nothing to do with blood."

Gen stood up, passionately. "You're right." He asked for another popsicle and ripped off the wrapper, fervently. He took a single bite into the treat, plagued with a sudden whirl of brain freeze, he had a brilliant idea. Gen spoke, passionately, "Elodea and I are cousins, who gives a cumquat about blood!"

"That's right!"

"We are more alike than he thinks!"

"Exactly."

"I'm going to make Elodea eat his own words with salt and pepper!"

"What?" they questioned.

Gen took the whole box of popsicles with him and tucked it underneath his arm. "Thank you, mommy and daddy, but I'm going to need brain food in order to pull an all-nighter." When Gen means an 'all-nighter' he really means going to bed half past eight.

Gen walked back into his room and closed the door behind him, he had much work to do. He got out his notebook and crayons and markers and stickers and plopped the box of popsicles next to him. He unwrapped another popsicle, this one was watermelon flavored.

He sucked on the icy treat while he wrote in giant letters with a wax crayon on the top of the page. It read, _Elodea and Gen are super-awesome-flippin cousins and here's all the proof in the pudding._ Mmmhhhh, pudding.

Ah! Yes! That is the first common denominator! Gen scribbled the first shared quality down. Both Elodea and Gen looooove pudding! That is one proof out of many that they are cousins! Gen happily stared down at this work while he placed a pastry looking sticker next to fact number one.

Gen decided that he will come up with a million-zillion-quadrillion facts that lawfully state him and Elodea were destined to be best buds! It was written in the stars themselves. And no one can go against what the stars have to say! The stars know all the good stuff! Ah, may the ghost of Shakespeare nod approvingly and comb his unfortunately short beard whole heartedly, looking down upon his twenty-first century pupil, Gen Freecs.

Gen was determined, no, he knew he was going to make Elodea eat his own words! He'll serve his list to Elodea on a silver plate and make him read it, thoroughly. After Elodea reads it and apologies sincerely and begs for Gen's forgiveness, Elodea will then eat the words (literally) with a sprinkle of salt and all's well that ends well.

 _This!_ Gen thought, _is a plan of success! Elodea says, 'we are not cousins.' Phooey!_ Gen giggled to himself.

Gen began to write the fifth fact on the list when his eyes sparkled, happily, "You're awake!" he said. There was no one else in the room besides himself and his amazing list. He switches to a blue crayon that reminds him of his mother's eyes.

A bird whistled from the outside, it was perched on a tree branch next to Gen's bedroom window.

"I'm making a list of all the things that make Elodea and I best friends and cousins."

The bird wriggled its feathers from neck to tail.

"What? You're my best friend too! People can have more than one best friend you know. Mommy and daddy have lots of best friends too. Elodea is my best friend, he just forgot," Gen said, grumpily. "So is mommy and daddy and leorio and kurapika and GRANNY! But not Ging...I don't like Ging."

The bird hopped on the branch and parted its wings.

"Yeah," Gen giggled, "I don't think Grandpa Ging has any best friends either."

The bird flapped its wings.

"You have best friends too! Like mommy and daddy and uncle Coal and me." Gen giggled. "Stop dawdling and help me come up with more facts, I want this list to be ten-zillion pages long." Gen began to write down quickly, as if the words were being spoken to him too quickly and would escape from his grasp like the wind, "Those are really good ones! Wow, I didn't even think of that! Elodea, get your salt and pepper ready!"

The bird flew away. The branch trembled from its abrupt departure, slightly.

Then it stopped.

* * *

Elodea gripped the metal chains of the swing, lightly. He swung to and fro with ease. Then he stopped, planting his feet on the ground, firmly. He looked up.

Illumi swayed in his seat, barely. His cane laid in the palm of his hand, cold. "I can't say that I exactly understand what you are feeling. But the feeling of being different or not belonging is something many people struggle with. Including myself, when I was your age. Adoption or not. But like I said, I can't understand your side perfectly. What was your father's reasons for lying to you for so long?"

After Elodea left the apartment, without even thinking. He called Illumi. He wanted to talk with someone outside the family, with someone he felt comfortable with. He wanted to talk to a friend. Elodea scoffed, "He said he wanted to protect me, but it just did the exact opposite." He swung higher.

"You shouldn't hate your father if the only crime he is guilty of is protecting his only child," Illumi said, "then he is truly a great man. There is no doubt about that." _Oh Killua, what web have you tangled yourself in, you always put the ones you love first. Picky as you are._ _Leaving to face the dire consequences until the very end, no matter how troublesome they are. Because of your selfishness to protect the ones you love; your own son hates you. He told me himself._ Illumi held in a wicked snicker. Instead he intently listened to the boy next to him.

"Yeah," Elodea said, softly. "He is a great man, a great father. But…"

"It was wrong of him to lie to you." Illumi added.

Elodea nodded. "It's like he thinks I don't even deserve to know the truth. He sugar-coats everything, and not just his food."

"The problem with some people," Illumi said, "is that they care too much. It's not that you don't deserve the truth, but he didn't want the truth to hurt you; making you feel less than what you are. Is that what you feel? Less than what you are?"

Elodea nodded, sheepishly.

"Well, you're not. So, get that out of your head."

"I've tried…" Elodea said. "Sometimes I wish, I don't know, that everything would just be easier if I was related to him by blood, that I looked like him. I want white hair and blue eyes. Maybe no one would bug us about our lack of resemblance or give us sideways glances or whispers that they think I can't hear, but I can. Mayne I wouldn't feel as crummy as I do now..."

"You wouldn't look good with white hair."

Elodea snorted.

"You can have hair all the white hair you want when your older, like Wilburton."

"I don't think I'll have any hair left by then."

"Then buy a wig."

"Tell that to Wil. He needs one more than I do."

"At least he isn't in denial about his hair thinning, unlike most people."

"He's a man of true courage."

"Well respected."

"The plight of baldness isn't for those with heavy hearts and light wallets."

"Seriously Elodea," Illumi said, shooing away the laughter escaping his lungs. It's been a while since he had a good laugh. A genuine one. "In this world, people don't have a lot of choices. We don't choose where we are born. We don't choose who are parents are or the class we are thrust into. We don't choose our own names that label us throughout life. We don't choose the way we look, our hair, skin, eyes, or height. We are born with what's given to us, we get nothing more or nothing less. But," Illumi said, "we chose who we become. We have free will that allows us to make our own choices that define us. We choose what we love, what we hate, and pursue what we are passionate about. No one else makes those decisions for us, except ourselves. No one told you to play the piano. And here you are, a master of the craft because you, yourself, loved it so much. No one sat you down saying this is what you love. No, you chose that yourself. Our decisions, mistakes, victories, screw-ups, and accomplishments; They are our own and no one else's. That is infinitely powerful."

"Illumi," Elodea said.

"You should go back home to your father," Illumi said. "You shouldn't make him worry about you being out this late, all by yourself."

"I'm not alone," Elodea said. "I'm with you."

And Illumi thought that would make Killua even more worrisome and call national security to rescue his son. "Elodea, I'm going to be leaving now."

"Okay," Elodea said, "will I see you at the shop again? Although, I haven't really been there lately…"

"That isn't what I meant. My work is finished in Diamond City, for the time being. I'm going back home."

The frown on Elodea's face couldn't be any less noticeable. Elodea was about to object, but then he remembered that this is the same case with everybody he meets. They part ways and never see each other again. It just so happens that Illumi will be leaving first, which Elodea isn't used to. Elodea was used to himself saying the first goodbye. It turns out this midnight chat was actually their goodbye. Although, It was to be expected eventually.

"Maybe we will see each other in the future."

"Right." Elodea said, feigning optimism. But he will always remember the advice Illumi gave him. It was invaluable and priceless. Although, as genuine as it was, it was a shame, really.

That he was receiving the right advise from the wrong person in such a vulnerable time.

What a shame.

* * *

Killua tapped his finger against the table as he spoke into his phone. He spoke nervously, but with conviction.

No matter how hard he tries, he isn't making things right with Elodea. As painful as the situation is. He only wants Elodea to be happy, but maybe for Elodea to be happy he has to take himself out of the picture for a while.

He listened to everything that Madrid Sierren had to say. He's known her for a very long time and was familiar with all that she's accomplished. She was once an applicant in the 301st hunter exam and, most importantly, she was one of the two applicants that passed. Now, she is a crime hunter and works diligently in Kukan'yu, setting things right for her people on the islands. Her people rejoiced when they found out she survived, as many thought she was presumably dead with the rest of her aristocratic family. It brought back a hope that was once lost. She gave them faith again.

It was possible that Elodea would be better able to come to terms with himself by learning more about where he comes from, and understanding his roots. In the Kukan'yu Islands.

But Killua decided that he will not make that decision himself. He will discuss it with Elodea, ask him if he wants to visit his own homeland.

Finally, when Elodea returned home. He was not angry or furious or outraged. He thought of what Illumi said, and was calm when facing his father.

When Elodea was faced with the decision whether or not to go to Kukan'yu, he made up his mind rather quickly.

He said yes.

* * *

 **YAY! Thank you so much for reading XDD Sing it with me please! We are going back to Kukan'yu and I am so flipping excited! *activates a confetti canon* We will see old characters! New Characters! CAYENNE REVELATIONS! SECRETS AND DARK PASTS WILL BE REVEALED! *squeals like Adeline***

 **So, what did you think about this chapter? I know for a fact that you are all young, beautiful minds and I would like to hear what you have to say about the first scene with Adeline and Nia? Who might this lady be? *cough cough* AND! this chapter was a bit intense (maybe) with the scene between Elodea and Killua that I had in my head for a long time. Problems and emotions don't disappear over night, and I'm trying to convey how they change and effect people. Not just the person who bottles up their emotions but the people around them as well. And oh boy, Illumi , what is that #$ &!*%^ planning? lol And Gen's friend?**

 **I would really love to know what you guys thought please XD Because sometimes its really discouraging when no one reviews, I end up thinking 'omg they hated it.' Maybe put my heart as ease with some encouragement, even if its only an "XD" face. I looooove these XD It will just make me happy knowing that people liked this chapter XD would you be more inclined to review if I tell you that today is my un-birthday? *whispers* expect to read the Elodea in Wonderland Special some time soon XDDD**

 **Thanks for reading and see you next time!**

 **Bye-bye!**


	32. Chapter 29: Pull x of the x Tides

**Hi! Before you read this chapter, or after, would you all please be so kind as to take the poll of my profile page. Thx. Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 29: Pull x of the x Tides **

In Kukan'yu Kingdom, there is only one train that travels across all its borders. It skims under the sky line where the sun is at its highest peak; and even at its lowest where it is nowhere to be seen. It is guided by the sunlight and moonlight and starlight.

The cenberry train has seen many guests throughout its course in history, but it's the first time it has seen these certain, peculiar nen beasts in its quarters.

The train roared over the metal tracks. The cart jostled a bit, causing the occupants to stir in their seats. Elodea looked out the window and saw a flock of seagulls bobbing on the shimmering water. Then he turned towards Madrid, facing across from him and realized that her hair was the color of the ocean, glass tinted with green and blue hues. Elodea placed one card down from his desk. Madrid quirked up and an eyebrow and relinquished two of her cards in exchange for three of Elodea's. The card game continued.

The nen beast hummed to himself. No one on the train noticed or could even see the presence of the nen beast named Puntos, with his webbed fins and scaly fish tail. He hovered above a cart that seated a family of passengers, but his eyed locked on the child that was holding a bag of popcorn adorned with sugar coated chocolate chips. Puntos stealth-fully swiped a fin full of goodies and flew back towards Madrid, Thalassa, and Elodea.

Puntos planted himself down on Madrid's shoulder and flicked his tail. He plopped a piece of popcorn into his jaw, happily. He offered a piece to Madrid, but she blatantly refused the stolen goods. Thalassa, a more dignified nen beast who respected the common law, looked rather unhappy. She turned to Madrid and whined in a high pitch tone.

"Madrid! Look what Puntos has done! He stole candy from a defenseless child! UGH! I can't imagine the anguish and suffering the poor thing must be feeling right this minute." The little child did not notice the theft committed against them. Currently, they were more preoccupied staring out the window and counting the seagulls that passed by. Some had funny looking eyes. Thalassa continued, wholeheartedly, "He should be punished for the crime he has ruthlessly committed. Why not throw him off the train and then we'd never have to see him again? Sounds fair. I like it."

Puntos scoffed to his scaly counterpart, "you would like that wouldn't you. You're just grumpy because I refuse to share my horde with you." He plopped a piece of chocolate into his mouth, distinctly. Thalassa heard the crunch of the sugar-coated shell and almost drooled over the appealing decadence.

"I love the idea of you dangling off the train's railing while I watch from the comfort of this cabin. Madrid and I would finally have peace and quiet without your jaw that never ceases jabbering noise."

"You sure have it mixed up. You're always whining to Madrid, ' _Oh Madrid, look what Puntos has done, he stole candy that wasn't his, he's being too noisy while I was trying to sleep, he pulled on my fin and didn't apologize boo hoo boo hoo!'_ Did I get you right? No, I totally got you right. Everything I do is perfect."

"That sounded nothing like me," Thalassa turned her head, sharply. "Isn't that right Madrid? It sounded nothing like me."

"Go home, your drunk." Puntos scarfed down more popcorn. "Too bad that you're stuck with me for the rest of our days _fish bait_."

"Who are you calling _fish bait_ you overgrown _barnacle_?"

Puntos gasped, tremendously. "B-Barnacle?! Me!? Kiss my tail fin!" He threw down the popcorn onto the table in front of them and flew hastily at Thalassa, "You want to tussle!? Let's see how you like dangling from outside the window, here let me help you get there!"

Thalassa shrieked as she flew back and force across the cart being chased by Puntos. Without the ability to use gyo, no normal human being was able to see the unfortunate chaos that was ensuing across all the cabins on the train. If the conductor knew, several nen users would be evicted immediately. Preferably evicted from the end cable cart with their luggage. On the tracks.

Puntos stopped underneath where the bags and luggage were stowed. He looked over and under his scaly shoulders, confused. He lost sight of Thalassa, where could she be? Suddenly, a bag plummeted down om him and a high-pitched laughter was heard amongst the crash.

"Curse you! You, sea urchin!" Puntos roared beneath a suitcase full of heavy, delicate bloomers.

Thalassa laughed and laughed and laughed. Rolling onto her sides back and forth.

People were staring and ogling the mysterious thud that startled them, but could not see the culprits of the act. One of the train attendings hastily walked over to the crime scene and began cleaning up and apologizing, unknowingly on the nen beasts' behalf.

" _Enough,_ " Madrid called to them with her eyes. " _You are both garnering unwanted attention_ , _acting like misbehaved children._ "

Puntos wiggled out from underneath the bag, while Thalassa sulked back to Madrid. "Sorry, Madrid." They both said.

Then Thalassa piped up, "But it was all Puntos' fault. He's a mess."

"You just hate that I'm pretty."

"Yeah, you're pretty ugly."

Another brawl was about to begin, but this time Thalassa cowered behind Elodea's shoulder. Puntos decided to finish the rest of his stolen snack that was sprawled on the table along with a stack of playing cards. He bit into a piece of popcorn and carried on his merry way.

"Elodea," Thalassa said, "It's so nice to be in your company. You're so pleasant to be around, unlike someone I know."

Puntos ignored her by stuffing a handful of snacks into his jaw. He mumbled unkind and incomprehensible words between the bites.

Elodea giggled. "Is it always like this between them?"

Madrid signed, " _always._ " She laid another card on the table. Elodea relinquished two cards from his deck. _"But you get used to it after a while."_ She smiled.

Elodea said to the nen beast on his shoulder and leaned his head towards her. "Your aura is so beautiful, I can listen to it all day."

Puntos scoffed.

"and yours…" Elodea thought, "I would describe it as noble. Your aura is like your personality, you're not afraid of being loud. It's beautiful too."

Puntos was for the first time, flustered. He fumbled with a piece of popcorn and rolled on the table and over the stack of cards, back and force. He was so happy! Someone said he was beautiful! Of course, Puntos knows how outrageously gorgeous he is, with his mold colored scales and bleached white skull, that would have any aquatic animal swoon madly for him. But it was nice hearing it from someone else. He rarely gets those kind of compliments, mainly because no one can see him (besides nen users); Ones that can see him either ignore his presence or shriek as much as Thalassa, and Madrid doesn't want to inflate his already growing ego. Puntos guessed that some people can only handle so much beauty in a day.

Elodea felt the softness of the lush, red cushion beneath him. The train jostled as Elodea rose along with its current, he supported his body from slamming against the wall. This wasn't his first time on the cenberry train, of course, he doesn't remember his first time on the cenberry. Which was thirteen years ago with a hunter who rescued him from a land he will soon return to.

Elodea remembered back at the train station, before departure. His bags were already onboard and it was his turn to get on, the whistle blew and resonated throughout the station. He held the yellow ticket in his hand, while his father spoke to him. Killua told Elodea to always remember to give a call back home, even if it's just a quick hello. And to listen to Madrid and never leave her side or the host family he will be staying with. Elodea didn't say much, but he was happy he was going. Maybe, if he goes to the islands, the place where his birth parents lived, to the place he was born, he will feel more at ease with himself and who he is. To be honest, Kukan'yu didn't feel real, it felt like a far-off dream, shrouded in fog in the back of his mind. It was scary thinking that he was a part of this world that he has no memory and knows nothing of. Unlike Madrid. Kukan'yu is her home. Before, during, and after the rebel uprisings. It always was her home and she'd do anything to protect it, even after what was done to her and her family.

A decade ago, the islands were a dangerous place. It was a war zone. Rebels plunged the land in chaotic darkness and lit catastrophic fires that destroyed lands, homes, and families. But now, after receiving aid from the V5 and Kukan'yu Kingdom, things were better. But not quite.

Some people forget the hurt and pain unwillingly thrust upon them, while others refuse to abandon the agonizing fear and hatred that has sewn themselves permanently into their bones, keeping them standing strong. Unfortunately, it makes up a part of who they are as individuals and how they navigate through the world, including Madrid.

She will never forget her past of those of her people. Even her nen beasts, Puntos and Thalassa, were born from that chaos. They served as a constant reminder of who she is and why she is still fighting. More importantly, they kept her alive during the darkest period of her life when all she wanted to do was drown herself in Kukan'yu's waters. They kept her floating.

Madrid stroked the back of Puntos' head. He liked that.

Soon, the train ride ended and arrived in a small harbor town called _Corfu._ From there, a ferry will take them to the west islands. But until then, there was enough time to waste away until the ferry acquires enough passengers for its departure.

They settled at a little café near the water. The outside was painted a rustic white, with chips peeling off from the wood. The tables and chairs were made of metal, molded and melded with intricate patterns.

Elodea eyed the menu in front of him and was perplexed. He didn't know any of these foods. Finally, Madrid happily pointed out some of the ones she enjoyed the most. There was a dish called Saganaki, pan seared cheese over a flame. Keftedes arni, seasoned lamb meat balls. Spanakopita, which is basically a spinach and feta cheese pie with phyllo bread. Delicious.

Puntos was hovering over the pastry rack, ogling the honey glazed goodies in front of him, until the waiter came over to their table to take their order. Puntos flew over his shoulder and looked at his notepad, "Madrid, tell him to bring over a big plate of those pastries over there. I want to try all of them." Then he looked at the name tag, which read 'Yanny.' "Order a big platter! Largest one they got!" Of course, Puntos was still hungry. Stolen popcorn wasn't going to cut it for a growing nen beast of his age. He's a young spring chicken, or fish, or whatever other hybrid creature encompasses his mass. In the past five months, his tail grew another millimeter in length. A celebration was in order for such a momentous accomplishment.

Yanny placed two glasses of water on the table then opened his notepad, "It's good that you came in now, the sun is strong today. Better rest in the shade before you venture out," he swiped his pen that was tucked behind his ear with ease, "what can I get for you both?" He smiled.

While Puntos barked over and over again at Madrid when she didn't over his pastries, Thalassa snickered while she sipped water from the glass. Madrid ordered a plate of spanakopita and one small order of tiropita, a sweet cheese pie. But they will all be sharing. Puntos conceded.

"I'll have a cup of black coffee, please." Elodea said.

Yanny wrote the order down, then he glanced at Elodea. And stopped.

"I-I'll have coffee," Elodea repeated. Thinking the waiter didn't hear him the first time.

Yanny narrowed and lowered his gaze towards Elodea, now eye level with the boy. Elodea felt like sinking down in his chair, he mumbled uncertainly.

Elodea wondered if he said something weird, "It's okay if you don't have coffee, I'll just have water."

Immediately, Yanny picked up Elodea in his arms and spun him around, joyfully. The metal chair banged against the floor. He laughed, "It's you! I can't believe it's you! We meet again little one!"

Elodea, not listening, screamed, "I'm sorry I ordered coffee!"

Yanny gave Elodea a giant bear hug then called out towards the counter, "Illena! Come out here! We have a special guest! Hurry!" He held his arm around Elodea, tight. All the while Elodea's eyes remained wide.

The kitchen door opened, revealing a staff diligently preparing various dishes. Steam escaped the oven as a fresh batch of pita bread finished baking. Illena, Yanny's wife, wobbled out of the kitchen with a round belly. They were expecting their fourth child.

She wiped her forehead, exasperated, "What are you so excited over? Can't you see how busy I am…" Then she stopped, realization overcoming her like a tidal wave. She hands went back and forth from her heart to her mouth. Memories flooded her subconscious. After all these years, she could never forget the little one with the amethyst eyes at her home in the Islands. She outstretched her arms towards Elodea and kissed his cheeks. "Ah! Look at you, you have grown so much."

Elodea looked back and forth between these two strangers fondling him. Madrid sipped her water watching the sitcom unfold before her, humorously. "I'm sorry, but I think you have the wrong person."

Yanny spoke, "Tell me, whatever happened to that hunter you were with? Do you keep in contact with him or is he here with you? We owe our happiness thanks to him." He looked around the café to see if there was a smug man with white hair sitting around somewhere. He pouted when he couldn't find such a person, disappointedly.

"Are you…," Elodea hesitated, thinking back to the story Killua told him that happened all those years ago."…Did you meet my dad in a town named _Kalamati_?"

Both of their eyes sparkled and they sat themselves down next to Elodea and Madrid. Then they began retelling the story of how they met a hunter who saved them countless times. First, they were saved from rebels near the poisonous raspberry infested road. Yanny thought he was a goner when a rebel knocked him out, but then an extraordinary hero emerged from the shadows and shocked the living daylights out of the rebels, literally. Illena recalled that the man could even wield electricity from the palms of his hands. They have never seen anything like that before!

The hunter brought a little baby with him, whom he saved from burning in a fire. Illena even saw the blisters and burns on the young babe. She remembered holding little Elodea in her arms and how he was such a sweet little angel. Illena even got Elodea to laugh when she recounted the moment when Killua crawled on all fours in the kitchen, jingling his license under the kitchen table. She thought he was absolutely bonkers! But he was only looking for the little baby that supposedly disappeared under his watch.

Elodea listened of the stories when Killua was fishing with Illena's father and sheering sheep and washing and drying clothes with the children. He was told of the house, shrouded in a field of gold wheat. Sadly, it burned down the night they fled when the hunter escorted them to the main land. Then there were the bombings on the beach that sent their boat toppling over into the water. They almost drowned of it wasn't for that hunter's guidance!

After parting ways, they settled in the town of Corfu and found any jobs that they could. Soon, Yanny and Illena married and began building their own family together. They were able to pay for her siblings' education, and currently the grandparents work in the harbor.

Illena and Yanny weren't that surprised the hunter adopted Elodea and became his father. "I knew from the beginning there was a special bond between the two of you," Illena said, proudly. And the name which the hunter chose, was very fitting. Already connecting Elodea to Kukan'yu, in ways he has yet to fully understand.

They talked for a long time, almost to the point of missing the ferry ride over to the Islands.

Illena and Yanny both waved goodbye, and so did Elodea, as the ferry brought them closer and closer to the islands.

Elodea held on to the railing. The wind beat against his face as he inhaled the salty air. It was crisp and refreshing. It reminded him of a long-lost memory that was once forgotten, and finally found. He looked down at the water, white foam rushed against the boat and all the while Elodea saw slithers then batches then clumps of water weeds floating in the murky waters

He laughed when he saw Puntos and Thalassa racing each other against the speed of the ferry. They skidded and plunged and flew above the water. Puntos dived into the water and returned with weeds wrapped around his body like a necklace.

Madrid tapped Elodea on the shoulder and pointed towards the luscious mass of green land beginning to form on the edge of the horizon. She signed, " _That's where I was born."_

Elodea felt nervousness trickle down his arms to his hands to his fingertips. He looked upon the continued growing mass of land ahead that was once his home. He felt a force pulling him along with the tides of the ocean. Madrid tapped him on the shoulder and signed, smiling softly.

" _It's your home too."_

* * *

The humidity around the manor stuck to Koh's skin.

He swatted away a fly with one hand, while the other wheeled a wagon full of icy treats behind him. Well, 'icy treats' was an understatement. As much as Koh loves scrumptious desserts. None of these goodies were for himself. He makes these treats with the assistance of the chefs in the kitchen. The treats are dubbed 'blood-cicles." And they are exactly what they sound like. Each treat is made my pureeing various meat, such as beef and chicken and even fish, they are mixed with animal blood and water then are frozen overnight. They were for his lovely pack of wolves he keeps stashed away near the butler's quarters of the Zoldyck manor.

Now, he would love for them to be closer and even inside the actual manor, but his sister hates dogs or any canine related creature. Reye, at the stifling age of twelve, won't even step one stiletto healed foot inside Grandpa Silva's chamber, which Koh might point out, is infested with canine related creatures. (Pssh, Reye can't even walk upright in heels yet she refuses to walk in anything else but them. It's infuriating that she doesn't understand that she's doing to break her ankles. And everyone thinks Koh is delusional for thinking outside the box by crossbreeding Alaskan malamutes with white wolves. Everyone's a hypocrite.)

The metal squeaked as he wheeled the cart across the rocky path. Finally, he whistled loud and clear. Birds jumped from their branches and leaves scattered to the ground. One by one, pairs of bright yellow and crimson eyes peaked through the dark shadows, through the cracks between the trees and vines and shrubs.

Growls and snarls were heard from behind the greenery. A bone, from a leftover dinner, snapped abruptly.

Koh squatted and started to unload the goodies, "come and get'em while they're still cold."

Finally, white blurs bounced from the shadows, their paws leaving deep prints in the ground. Koh turned his head to the side and one of his precious pets. It opened its jaw wide and pinned and slammed Koh on the ground.

Koh giggled.

The little, fluffy puppy began licking Koh's face. Its tongue tickled and its paws were soft as lamb's ears (which were also an ingredient in making the blood-cicles). The puppy barked a cute, high note and snuggled itself against Koh's chest. It's fur was as soft as cotton. It nuzzled its wet nose against his chin. Koh bestowed Cindy (the name of the little puppy) with many kisses.

The other pups, all nine of them, ran up to Koh. One tripped over another's fluffy white tail, whimpered and shook its head in response. One pup sneezed right onto a wild yellow flower sprouting up from the ground. The puppy eyed the flower and sniffed it out of curiosity. And sneezed once more, toppling over itself.

"Bless you, Dafne," said Koh as he began distributing the icicles to his pups. The fluffy white puff balls starting lapping at the treats, relieving themselves of the terrible humidity that consumed the day.

Koh counted all his beautiful children, and realized that one was missing!

Behind the trembling bush, revealed a pair of sweet pink eyes. It poked its cotton head through the bush and immediately retreated back inside and hid from the rest of its brothers and sisters. What a scary world it was outside the bush. The puppy sniffled, until it felt something odd tickle its nose. The puppy's eyes widened when it spotted a black and red spider crawling on its black nose.

The puppy gasped when the spider began threading a web.

Finally, the pup ran out of the bush and into Koh's arms at the speed of lightening. AH! Koh! Save the poor dearie from that dreaded eight-legged fiend!

Koh, easily, flicked off the bug and Fiona (the puppy) was safe at last. Fiona was the smallest and weakest out of the whole pack, but there was no doubt in Koh's mind that she was the cutest. He kept telling her that over and over again, Fiona was a bit self-conscious for a five-month-old puppy and he was more than happy to reassure her of her adorableness.

After all the goodies were distributed. Koh found himself a comfy spot beneath the shade of a decaying oak tree. Koh opened his backpack from the wagon revealing a sketchbook and a pack of graphite pencils. Drawing was more than a hobby for Koh, it had the ability to transport him to a world where it was just solely him and his artwork. He could create whatever he wanted, free from scrutiny and criticism and control that constantly dedicated his everyday life. In art, there is no right or wrong way of doing things. It is just _your_ way. Which in turn, becomes millions and millions of unique interpretations. That was something Koh took deep pleasure in. After all, there is no one else in the world who can create a Koh Zoldyck original painting. Anyone else who claims to be, is an unoriginal, boorish, cheap knock off. Not to mention ugly.

He sharpened one pencil just right with sand paper, blew of the shaved dust, and began sketching whatever was on his mind, or in front of him, since they were the exact same thing.

He sketched his pups lounging around him, while one was playing a one-sided game of tug of war with the ankle part of his sock, which he was still wearing. Fiona snuggled on Koh's lap, eyeing the sketch he was creating. She barked a sweet note and if it was translated into human speech, it probably meant, ' _gorgeous!_ ' or ' _you made my brother look so silly, draw me silly next!_ '

Suddenly, Koh's brow began to twitch as he noticed an unwanted presence approach him. Their foot-steps were silent like the dead of night, but it was her perfume that gave her away. Koh winkled his nose at the horrid smell and so did the puppies. Fiona even patted her little paws against the sketchbook a few times to get the point across.

Koh said, "Would you please stop going through Grandma Kikyo's makeup drawer. God, that stuff smells disgusting."

Reye scoffed as she flicked a strand of black hair over her shoulder, "I'll have you know that this is chanel no. 9 and it was imported straight from Paris."

Koh mumbled, "it smells like duty." He saw that his _beloved_ sister is not wearing heels, but a pair of black flats that matched her dress. Her ankles must have finally given in. She was also styling a jeweled necklace with a swan or duck or quail signature design or whatever else it looked to Koh.

"This is what all the celebrities wear." Reye protested.

"Don't care." Well, Koh hypothesized that everyone in Hollywood wants to smell like a dog relieving itself at a fire hydrant. Koh concentrated on his sketch, crosshatching the shadows beneath a puppy's ear. He lightened the touch of his pencil, adjusting the pressure smoothly. He said without even looking up, "What do you want? If it's about my regimen, I already finished my share for the day. You can report that back to dad."

Reye shuffled away from a puppy that was treading towards her. She gulped. Dogs are filthy and untidy and full of diseases and flees. She much preferred her ravens, they are neat and orderly and caged.

Finally, the puppy receded by chasing its own tail. It was truly an ongoing struggle. One day, it will catch it, just you wait. Reye spoke, resentfully, "Does it look like I want to be here? And if anyone would be lecturing you about training it would be mom and dad, not me. I don't have time to train an annoying brat like you."

Koh shuddered. Not a lot of things scare Koh, but if there were, it would be the wrath of his mother more so than his father. If he was scared, which he isn't. Definitely not. Wait, did he forget to brush his teeth today? He better brush them before mom asks to see them (he's been on a sugar ban for a while now, since the dentist found a cavity in one of his molars.) Oh, the look on his mother's face could take down an entire army or the life force of her son. Koh shook the idea away, " _Oh! Ugh! Ow! My heart! It burns!_ Yeah, that's what it would sound like if I cared. Get on with it. I'm trying to sketch."

"Stop rushing me, okay I have two things to say. One, Grandma Kikyo wants you to try on that suit she bought you while shopping in Beijing. You really should have come with us, instead of moping around home. It was a lot of fun."

"I hate clothes shopping. You guys just make me carry around your bags while you shop and make me try on goofy clothes I don't even like."

Reye fanned herself, the humidity was unbearable, "they are called _haute_ _couture_ designer clothes, Koh. Everyone with good taste knows that." Reye hid her smirk beneath her uninterested attitude. Koh did look ridiculous in boy shorts and frilly blouses with giant bow ties. She has several pictures of a very grumpy looking Koh in said outfits. Her hopes are for one day to use them as blackmail against him. Koh would make the cutest little meme to over sweep the internet.

"Which nobody wears. I don't see ladies wearing giant umbrellas outside in everyday life."

"Those 'umbrellas' are called dresses."

"I'm not an idiot, I know what a dress is! But dresses are not supposed to be ten feet in diameter! What are you trying to hide in there? A circus? Or is it all the junk in the trunk?" Oooooh, no wonder grandma Kikyo wears grand, puffy dresses. Koh began laughing and holding his spleen from exploding. Fiona barked, happily.

Reye gritted her teeth and her eyes seethed with pure fire. "Do you want me to tell you the second piece of news or not?"

"No! I am not trying on anymore sailor suits!" Koh protested, adamantly.

"This isn't about clothes!" She said, then breathed. "I thought you would just like to know that uncle Illumi is on his way home. He should be here any minute."

Koh dropped his sketchbook on the ground, and Fiona jumped off his lap. "Why wasn't that the first thing you told me!?"

"Because if that was the first thing, you wouldn't listen to the second thing. Plus, I don't see what the big deal is. Uncle Illumi comes and leaves, he comes and he leaves home whenever he feels like it. There is nothing monumental about them, and you're still going to see him anyway. So, what difference does it make _when_ you see him." Reye wasn't exactly fond of her _dear_ uncle. As the eldest child, she was cursed with the honor of being trained under him unlike her younger brother. She truly got to know Illumi's rotted and tainted soul. Koh was strictly trained under their father, Kalluto Zoldyck.

Although, if she had a choice, she preferred uncle Illumi over uncle Milluki.

Reye was over swept with uneasiness. Her gaze became cold. She clenched and unclenched her fists and folded her arms to hide the act.

Koh didn't notice. He quickly stuffed his leather-bound sketchbook into his bag. Shoving his pencils back inside, ah, it was so late to clean up. Instead, he left his supplies haphazardly on the ground. Then he made a run for it. "Watch the pups for me!"

"What!?" Suddenly all eleven pairs of adorable eyes were on her. She gulped and shooed them away with her hand, "Well, go on. Continue sniffing your paws or something."

Felix, an outgoing pup, ran up to Reye.

Reye was frozen in place when the pup did the unexpected.

It lifted up his leg and ruined her designer brand shoes.

And this is why Reye isn't a dog person.

* * *

Koh ran past the butler's quarters.

Koh ran past Mike, who was lounging near the mildew infested pond.

Koh ran past acres and acres of his mother's precious garden, full of deadly and toxic herbs.

Finally, Koh ran to the testing gate and at the perfect time.

When the gate slowly began to open, slithers of light peaked through the cracks. When a full silhouette began to take form, Koh ran straight into Illumi and smiled.

"Welcome home!"

Illumi blinked his eyes a few times, "ow." The dust cloud from the crash began to dissipate, but not Koh. He continued to speak, feverishly.

"Uncle Illumi! You're back from your mission, that was fast." Then Koh's gaze shifted towards a large bag with a real brand name he is familiar with called _Schmincke_ , "what's that? What's that?" He asked, knowing very well what it was. "Did you get me something? Is it for me? It's for me, right? Let me see it, gi'me!"

"Hi Koh, I'm doing great. Just fine, peachy. Thanks for asking. That really made my day after a long and tiresome ride."

"You're welcome." Koh said, not listening as he tried to get a sneak peek into the bag.

Illumi managed to yank Koh off of him as he slowly stood up, balancing his weight on his cane. Koh eyed the silver cane with curiosity. He thought it was rather odd, why his uncle needed such a device. When Koh was younger, Illumi had no trouble walking and running and jumping with ease, but Kalluto plainly told Koh that it was an accident. Not how or what or why it happened. It was simply an unfortunate accident. Kalluto did not say more. Koh did not question more because his father does not like explaining more. Plus, he thought his uncle did look cool wielding a silver cane like in one of those Victorian paintings you see displayed at a museum. The silver cane added a touch of sophistication to him that Koh thought was mysterious and alluring.

Koh has to slow his steps when with Illumi as they walked towards the manor house. All the while, Koh was taking nonstop about everything he's done, mostly about the little and miscellaneous things that are usually forgotten and skipped over. But to Koh, everything was important, including that weird mold growing behind Mike's left paw, fourth claw, under nail.

"Koh," Illumi said as they were halfway to the manor, "I'm very tired, mind if I sit down for a while."

Koh didn't mind at all, and maybe that was also a hint for Koh to quiet up a bit, but he didn't catch that. Thy sat down on low leveled stones that looked like tomb stones. They could possibly be tomb stones, since Mike scatters and stows away the bones from his past meals that Zebro doesn't clean up and throw away. A small white substance peaked out beneath the ground. It was either a mushroom cap or the head of a tibia.

Koh kicked at the substance with his sneaker. It was hard and chalky and wouldn't break apart. Yup, it was definitely bone.

Illumi spoke, "Koh, hold out your hands and close your eyes."

Koh did as his uncle said with a giant smile on his face. Illumi set down the gift into Koh's arms.

"Open them."

Koh did so again and was astonished. He ran his fingers over the cold metal tubes, neatly stacked against each other. Water droplets clung to the edges. Koh felt the texture of the plastic brimmed caps and the empty half pans beneath the tips of his fingers and of the soft and rough bristol brushes beside them. It was a watercolor set. And he loved it.

"I didn't know what specific brand you would like, I picked the most recommended one. Are the colors okay?"

"Let me see," Koh said. Darn he should have brought his sketchbook with him to sample the colors. Instead, he rolled up his sleeve, unveiling his wrist. He uncapped a tube of paint, a vibrant cerulean blue, and gently used a brush to pick up specks of the paint from the top. He sampled it on his hand and was notably impressed. Then he swabbed a raw speck of green and blended it with the blue then a speck of yellow than orange. Illumi had to stop him before his hand turned into a painting of its own.

"I bought the paints while I was working in Diamond City. While I was there I passed an art store and I immediately thought of you. I hope you use them in good health."

Koh smiled, "I will!" Ah, what should he paint first? The colors in the palette are so rich and vibrant and pigmented. They simply pop out and come to life. He could paint his pups or a portrait perhaps?

Illumi patted and tussled Koh's hair, gently. Illumi thought that Killua was wrong in his perception of himself. He was always a good older brother, and he loves the ones he chooses to care about. And he, thought, he was a good uncle. He spoiled Koh whenever the opportunity arose for him too. Showering him with gifts and sweets and praise, much to the mother's dismay. After all, Koh did show a lot of promise, just as much or maybe even a little more than Killua when he was Koh's age.

Unknowingly, Koh never knew that he was utterly blessed by the fact that Illumi does not train him or teach him tricks of the family trade. If he was trained under that monster in sheep's clothing, Koh would think differently of his uncle and probably not so fondly of him as he does now. But that isn't the case. To Koh, despite Illumi's infrequent visits, gave him something which he was neglected from his father, mother, and sister. He was given love and attention which he desperately craved and yearned for.

Koh respects his father, respects (and fears) his mother, mildly puts up with his older sister, but loves his uncle Illumi.

Koh neatly placed the tubes of paint back into the case.

Illumi spoke, "maybe you can paint me a Koh original. I like to hang one of those up on my wall."

"Definitely, but I have to let you know that you are the fourth person on my list to draw for."

"I'm on a waiting list. Why is that?"

"I do online commissions." That is also how Koh racks in extra cash, aside from the whole assassination business. "Well, Maybe I can bump you up. I don't think the other customers will mind so much, considering they already paid in advance."

"You're too kind, and Koh."

"Yeah?"

"Your father Kalluto told me of the excellent progress you've made. Keep up the good work, you're making the family proud, remember that."

Koh, for a brief moment, looked down at the paints that laid before him. It was relief. Comfort. Treasure. And everything he's ever wanted to do. He had no interest in assassination, but in painting and drawing and sometimes the occasional sculpting. He dreams of becoming an artist when he's older, instead of painting the world red with blood, a limited and uninspiring color; he wants to color the world on his canvas, bright and beautiful. Beating and full of life.

But it was conflicting. Everyone said he was good, excellent, even gifted at the trade he bears no interest in. Was it wrong of him to pursue something else while his family already has his life planned out before him, destined for success. Is it wrong to give up something you are good at, while other's say you shouldn't. And then there was his uncle who was proud of him for following tradition.

Koh dared not tell anyone of his heart's desire or make his uncle unhappy. It was less trouble that way. Instead he smiled and said he'd continue the fine job he's doing.

He looked down at the paint, already starting to dry on his hand. The cerulean blue reflected in his own eyes cast a strong feeling resonating inside of himself.

He felt the push and pull of the tides, his parents swaying him one way and his heart the other. But past the waves, past the currents, far out into the deep end. He imagined himself where he can no longer feel the sand and pebbles between his toes and where the water goes beyond his shoulders and head.

Air escapes his mouth and the bubbles look like milky, white pearls flittering towards the surface.

He floated there in that vast space. It felt safe, it was a place where no one can reach or touch or pursue him. The coolness of the water embraced all around him, gently. He flowed along his own current, free and untainted from the rest of the world.

Only a second or two passed when Koh looked up from his paint set, and his mind returned to the world that was anything but his dreams. His heart beat fast, a fire of passion lit brightly in his chest. He felt the warmth resonate from within as he was overcome with a wave of inspiration.

He wanted to draw the ocean.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **See you next time! Bye!**


	33. One Year Anniversary Special

First and foremost, **THANK YOU!**

One year, WOW. ATWW is a one year old baby and the reason that's possible is because of the love you guys show and that means the world to me! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING REVIEWS! *cries* I know I complain at times, but support keeps the story going! And gosh I appreciate and love each and every one of you!

So this Anniversary Special contains **2** short stories. These were two snippets that I planned, but they didn't fit anywhere in the story. One is titled, "The Lost License." Time line wise, it was supposed to be squished between chapters 7 and 8. This is just a day in the lives of Killua and baby Elodea, in which an important hunter license, you guessed it, becomes lost LOL. The other story titled, "The Start of their Everything," takes place basically before chapter 1 XD It features Gon and Alluka, teens, as they were newly assigned to the Cayenne Expedition Project and the start of their budding romance *sparkles* this short story was also the most voted for in the Special poll, so thank you to everyone who answered it! TBH it turned into a cheesy rom com so IDK and it's all over the place, it's mostly from Gon's perspective LOL

Anyway! I hope you guys like this! Thank you and happy reading!

* * *

 **One Year Anniversary Special **

**The Lost License **

"Daddy, daddy, da-ddy. O'en eh door." Elodea chimed, jumping impatiently at the back-screen door, waiting for his father to open it. From head to toe, Elodea was clothed in yellow and blue plastic rain gear and a little hat that had a design of smiling rain clouds on it. Elodea turned back and forth between the door and Killua. Finally, for a little toddler he lost his patience, and tried turning the door knob himself, only to whimper when he couldn't get it right. "Wanna 'lay in rain."

Killua said, rummaging through pairs and pairs of shoes, "Hold your horses."

Elodea looked down at his palms, opening and closing them. They were empty.

Killua checked behind the couch, blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes. "Hold on. I'm coming. Let me just get my boots, if I can even find them." He perched his head down under the couch. Only to find dust bunnies and Elodea's building blocks. Killua reached out his arm, maybe they were all the way in the back behind that shoe box.

His eyes widened. Nope. That's not them, considering his shoes are not furry and don't move and never squeak like mice.

The pitter patter of Elodea's squeaky boots resonated throughout the kitchen, tapping against the wooden floor, impatiently. He has to help his daddy or else they will never experience the joys of precipitation! With his hat tucked snugly on his head, he quickly navigated his way past the cupboards and to the coat closet. He let out a triumphant yelp and found the boots, he himself placed behind the vacuum cleaner. He picked up the leather boots with all his might and scampered towards Killua.

"Huh, I don't remember putting them in there. Guess I forgot." Killua said, suspiciously.

Elodea tugged on Killua's pants and even tried tying the shoe laces himself, despite the fact he never learned how, to speed up the process. There was no time to question who, or why he, put the boots in the closest! They have to hurry outside before the rain puddles go away!

Killua opened up the screen door as Elodea ran out and darted towards the biggest puddle he saw! It was magnificent! Elodea giggled as he jumped and splashed and skipped.

The clear puddles turned a muddy brown as the toddler merrily paraded through them. Earth toned swirls cascaded through the water, like marble stone. Water droplets glided off blades of glass as more continued to fall from the sky.

Elodea picked up a little leaf that looked like a little green umbrella and held it over a snail traveling over an uplifted root from the oak tree. Elodea smiled as the snail made it safely into a dry grove hollowed in the bark of the tree.

Elodea felt the drops of cool water against his skin. He shivered, until there were no more droplets on his skin. He looked up and saw Killua. Holding an umbrella above him. He clung and snuggled his head against Killua's leg.

Then they played 'store.' Where Elodea was the shopkeeper selling mystical and priceless treasures that ranged from sticks and rocks and three-leaf clovers and sometimes snail shells. Which are very rare. Sometimes they were only put on display just for customers to look at, Killua, to ogle at with his eyes.

Elodea picked all the goodies and placed them on a soggy, wooden bench. Then he'd wave at Killua giving him the signal that the game begun. "Wel'ome!" He'd say, ushering Killua into this humble store. He waved his hands fervently at him, to look at the glorious display he just procured of rocks and sticks and grass.

"Good morning Elodea! WOW! Everything here looks amazing! Is it all for me?"

Elodea giggled and shook his head.

Killua gasped, "No? It's not all for me, why not?"

Elodea reorganized his stock of valuable trinkets, switching the white rock with the blue rock then back again. Ah, they looked much better that way. "f-oor frens!"

"It's all for friends. Can I buy something for a friend too? How about uncle Gon? What do you think uncle Gon will like the best?"

Elodea giggled a high note and meticulously picked out a lovely blue rock and delicately placed it in Killua's hand.

"It's beautiful! And blue is my favorite color."

Just then, Elodea leaned over the wooden bench and picked the rock out of Killua's hand and exchanged it with another one. A yellow rock!

Killua blinked and eyed the specimen, "Yeah, blue was really my second favorite. I didn't know what I was thinking, but yellow takes the cake."

And so, Killua bought the yellow rock and clumps of grass and a handful of wild flowers enough to make a crown out of. He bought and returned and bought and returned. The game continued on until Elodea wanted to add a new item to his shop!

Elodea's vocabulary continually progressed. Learning new words every day. But the first words that came easily to him were of course, daddy and cake and cookies and no. But another special word called, _license._

"License 'lease!" Elodea giddily held out his hands. Besides from Elodea's horde of magnificent toys such as his race cars and train tracks and sing along teddy bears that light up and dance, his favorite toy was nothing more than a simple, plastic card that belonged to his father. Killua's hunter license.

Killua sighed, "Alright, but Daddy wants you to take good care of it."

Elodea nodded, enthusiastically.

"Remember, it's very important to Daddy. Do you understand Elodea?" He handed it to the toddler and immediately, the little one's eyes shined like stars that could pierce through the darkest of skies and clouds.

"Tank you!" Elodea smiled, brightly. His starry eyes gazed upon the neon blue and red and black cryptic lines and marks that enveloped the card. He placed it down, neatly, next to the batches of green and slightly wilted three-leaf clovers. His shop already looks more authentic!

Unbeknownst to the little entrepreneur, shuffling and reshuffling his inventory, Killua felt a strange presence approaching his home. He closed his eyes then opened them, focused.

It was a group of people. They were nen users, obviously not strong enough, considering how weak and fragile their aura felt. They were beginners, novices, more specifically, they were idiot bandits who have exceeded the limits of laziness. They'd rather steal hunter licenses then actually earn the merit themselves.

Killua remembered running into the dimwits at the grocery store several days ago. Citruses, pomegranates, figs and pears endlessly surrounded them. He was in the produce section of the farmer's market, weighing a bag of Macintosh apples on a scale. There was a bargain sale, buy ten apples for one Jenny. He scored big time.

Many goods uncopied the cart. From bushels of broccoli to heads of lettuce to packages of pasta and noodles to jars of tomato sauce; but the cutest little condiment was sitting in the front of the wheeled cart. Elodea was sitting, kicking his legs back and forth, as he hummed along with the pop song playing on the speakers in the farmer's market along with an opened bag of organic grapes in his lap.

Killua leaned forward and Elodea plopped a purple grape into his mouth. Then he Kissed Elodea's hand causing the toddler to erupt into a fit of giggles. As Killua bit a grape in half and gave it to Elodea, some neanderthal began to speak to him, rather rudely.

"You with the white hair!" The man said, nen pulsating from his fists. "Hand over your hunter license and nobody will get hurt!"

Elodea named all the veggies they passed while Killua finished weighing the apples and tied the plastic bag into a knot, placing it in the cart. He paid no heed and walked past the man whose eyes seeped with venom. Killua only grabbed another plastic bag and shook air into it, preparing to stuff it with carrots. The bushels of carrots were secured together with rubber bands and there were even stickers that claimed that the produce would take ten percent off the final purchase if two bushels were bought. Score.

The man, baffled, swung around and formed a fist, "Hey! I'm talking to you-

Pain erupted from a single blow to his chest. His legs staggered abruptly as he fell to his knees, huffing. To finish the job, an avalanche of deliciously red apples over swept him. Trapping the man between the aisle of rutabagas and turnips.

Elodea gushed and pointed to the man. "Kissy for boo-boo!"

"Aw," Killua said, feeding Elodea a small slice of a grape. Elodea munched on it, holding it with both of his hands. "Idiots like him don't deserve kisses for their boo-boos." Which in fact was a very big boo-boo. "Now, let's hurry and get milk and bread."

"Mil an' Breh!" Elodea chimed, swimming his legs.

All the while, an employee huddled next to the cage free eggs and stood there silently, as she witnessed the event unfold. She saw the hunter, with a quick swift of his arm, take out the thief. Finally, gaining courage, she shuffled over to the mountain of bruised apples that concealed the, possibly dead, man.

A hand plunged forth from the mountain and the girl shrieked back against the wall.

Another employee, more experienced in these matters, came around the corner, picked up the phone attached to the wall and turned on the speaker. He huffed, aggravated, "Clean up on aisle four and someone PLEASE make sure to bring a stretcher this time." Then he slammed the phone back into the wall. Then he mumbled to himself, rather noticeably. "I told them not to stack the apples like that, but nooooooo one listens to me, Gawd! Everyone is useless."

While rambling to himself, he failed to notice the thief's hand on the floor, next to several bruised apples. He ended up stepping on it, rather hard, several cracks were emitted from the act.

A muffled scream was heard beneath the mountain of apples, barely. And a few whimpers and tears.

Anyway. Back to rainy days and muddy boots and clear puddles that catch pieces of the rainbow and look like enchanting pathways to the magical world.

Elodea began to clean up his shop, placing the rocks back between the daffodils and lilies. A leaf tickled his nose. Then he looked up and smiled. He saw a spider's web caked with glistening dew. Each droplet of water on every white thread shimmered. It looked like the spider weaved the web out of sterling pearls. Fit for a fairy or pixie to adorn their necks.

"It's time to go inside now," Killua said, but when he did, Elodea jumped into a mud puddle. Soaking him from head to toe. Killua picked him up, balancing the toddler on his hip.

Killua closed the screen door behind him, as he began to notice unwanted visitors tread upon his property. Oh well, not that it matters. It won't take him that long to have the thieves running away with their tails between their legs.

Killua wet a towel until it was luke-warm and wiped off the mud that clung to Elodea's face. On his cheeks and his nose and his chin. Elodea was a little piglet that played for too long in the mud. Killua looked outside, through the open window, and realized that he'll have to close it soon. It's beginning to rain again.

OH! He almost forgot. He wiped off a speck on Elodea's ear and said, "Elodea, can you give daddy back his hunter license now."

Elodea smiled and shrugged his shoulders, mischievously.

"If you are hiding it from me, you better tell me now or else I'll take away cookies for dessert."

Elodea's jaw dropped. He quickly pointed towards the door and shouted, "ere!" Outside. In the rain. With all the thieves.

"My hunter license is outside!?" Killua panicked. Then his eyes popped and a drop of sweat trickled down his brow. The window was open and the thieves looked back and forth at each other. They smiled twisted smiles.

"Every man for himself!" One yelled. And soon the frenzy. The mayhem. The hunt began. The prize was none other than Killua's precious hunter license.

Killua cursed as he sped to the door. First tucking Elodea safely on the couch. He even turned on the TV to distract the young boy. He locked the door behind him and conjured his nen.

The rain poured and drenched and pounded fiercely onto him. It was worse than before. The storm was picking up again. Blue electricity tingled his skin. He let out a powerful pulse, knocking all the men down.

Killua smirked.

Then it began to falter.

Slowly, the men began to rise, unharmed.

One waved his finger at Killua, "We may be idiots but we're not stupid to come unprepared when facing a hunter with a fearsome reputation such as yourself, Killua Zoldyck."

"Well, at least admitting you're an idiot is a start to accepting how you singlehandedly failed life." Killua said.

"I'll have you know that I graduated summa cum laude in university!"

"What did you major in?"

"Philosophy."

Killua rolled his eyes, _of course, a thief studying philosophy_. The irony. "I wouldn't even care if you majored in basket weaving. Get off my property!" Another round if electricity swept through the thieves, only to leave them standing as they were. Unharmed.

"You're probably wondering how we deflected your electric attacks?"

"No…"

The thieves banded together and posed, dramatically. "The secret to our unstoppable heist are these (glamorous) rubber suits! The finest the black market has to offer! With these, you are powerless to our advances and we'll finally get a hunter license and experience the finer things in life!"

"Yeah!" The other's cheered.

"Never again will we have to experience microwave meals that leave the center of the dish cold and the outside scorching hot, burning the taste buds on our tongues and leaving our tummies grumbling for more because microwave meals are small and not substantial! We can afford real groceries like eggs and bacon and all kinds of cheeses!"

"Yes!" They roared.

"Never again will we be subjected to three-minute showers according to our apartment building's regulation policy when we can't pay rent on time! We will never have the water turned off on us and we can bathe like kings for hours and drain the ocean if it pleases us!"

"Hallelujah! Preach it brother!" One thief said.

"Never again will we wear hand-me-down clothes that are too snug around the shoulders with hello kitty patches sewn in to cover the tears that our mothers send to us through care packages out of pity! We will wear denim and jeans and flavorful ascots that the snobbishly rich wear! Never again will we—

Too bad the suits didn't deflect punches. One by one Killua flung each thief over the fence next the curb in the front yard. After all, that's where the garbage is picked up.

But alas! There was too many of them, some were scrambling back to their feet and searching frantically through the mud, when one proclaimed joyfully, "I've found it!" At last! Jerry will finally be able to buy the ranch he's always wanted! He'll raise a clydesdale horse named butterscotch and a snowshoe cat named Tuna-fish. He will fulfil him and his late grandmother's lifelong dream of raising cute and fluffy farm animals on route 66 thus skyrocketing their popularity to open up a petting zoo possibly centrally located near a jelly fish aquarium, which they swore together when he was in the fourth grade. He'll make gran-gran proud!

Suddenly, his dream of owning such wondrous animals were knocked out of him. Several of the other thieves, including Killua, staked their lives to get the license. Dogpiling the dreamer one by one. Everyone was pitted against the other.

Singlehandedly, Killua yanked off the thieves and claimed the card!

Then he eyed the card.

A second has passed.

Then another.

The card in his hard was not his license, but a gift card for the café down town that sells chocolate covered croissants and marshmallow cones and confetti cake ice-cream.

Everyone was silenced by the roar of thunder and fierce rain showers. One thief stepped forward, apologizing, "I'm sorry, that's mine. I guess it fell out of my pocket-

Everyone gasped when Killua tossed the man over his shoulder, hurdling him towards the endless, open sky. How far he flew past the drifting clouds and wayward storm. One thief whistled a high note.

Killua placed the card into his back pocket. Just in case he needs it later. Then he stepped forward, and the thieves stepped back.

The thieves didn't know which was louder, the thunder booming in the dark skies above or the hunter cracking his knuckles in front of them.

Jerry thought it was the knuckles and he was, dreadfully, right.

….

Elodea yawned aloud, stretching his arms above his head as he laid on the couch.

He nuzzled his face against the pink, cotton blanket and it tickled his nose. He rolled off the couch and scampered to the door with his blanket clutched in his small hands. He missed his daddy so much, but he was playing with the other grownups outside enjoying the rain and mud puddles.

Oh! One of daddy's friends jumped into a mud puddle and now they are playing leapfrog! (Actually, the thief was fiercely slammed to the ground, the puddle just happened to be there. The man gurgled, air bubbles flittering to the surface of the puddle that was masked with the rupture of fallen rain while Killua had him tightly locked in a armbar).

Elodea pouted, confused. It looks like they are playing leapfrog all wrong. Silly grownups. Elodea waved to Killua and Killua waved back. Then so did a thief, even though the wave was not for him. Killua flipped the fool and tossed him over fence.

It looks like they are having so much fun and Elodea wishes he can play too. But, he ran back to the television set and sat giddily in front of it. His favorite show, about a dancing tortoise, was going to start!

Then his eyes flickered with remembrance. He quickly stood up and walked to his daddy's chair, the one with the comfy cushions and fancy 180˚ recliner. Elodea rummaged through his pockets and placed the hunter license on the nightstand next to it.

His daddy will probably want it back after playing with his friends. He did say the license was important and that was something Elodea did not forget.

Except when Killua asked him moments ago. He did forget then, but that's all in the past and they live only for the future!

Elodea giggled when the tortoise began singing about how mass quantities of trash produced annually by society are destroying its species' habitat and breeding grounds all in one excellently choreographed and snazzy jingle!

Elodea laughed as he watched the show, all the while Killua fought against fools.

After several snazzy jingles and commercial breaks later, Killua finished his dues and walked back into the house. He rolled out his shoulders and shook off his boots, before leaving more unsightly prints on the floor. He was covered in mud from head to toe as he sluggishly walked towards Elodea. He wiped a hand over his face, and a clump of sticky mud came with it.

The thieves ran away (some crying) when they realized their rubber suits did not benefit them in the slightest. The only thing they did was ruin Killua's backyard (and his mood). They uplifted the pots of flowers beds and broke the swing set and slides, and one of them had the audacity to carve a rude gesture in the bark of the oak tree. He should charge them for vandalism. Then his eyes shifted and bounced to the nightstand, with his hunter license resting peacefully on top of it.

Elodea grabbed his blanket and scurried up to Killua, and began dabbing away the mud on his pants.

Killua sighed. He sank to the floor as Elodea dabbed his cheek and giggled. Killua then dabbed a piece of mud onto Elodea's nose and smothered him in a giant hug. "I'm the swamp monster and I'm going to eat you!"

For the rest of the day, they laid snuggled in warm blankets and drank hot cocoa topped with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon.

Elodea played with his building blocks and built a grand castle using only the couch and a bed sheet.

Killua, on the other hand, walked into his office and did what he should have done years ago. He secured his hunter license in his desk drawer, locked tight. In a metal box, sealed shut. And wrapped snugly in a felt baggie. All with an alarm system.

He promised himself that this was the last time he would ever lose his license. Or let Elodea play with it. Mostly the ladder one.

When he was done, he returned to his young ward and entered a small palace fit for two, a king and a little prince. An imagined palace of stone and pillars and great halls, made of pillows and blankets and striped sheets.

It was also a given that Elodea did not get chocolate chip cookies for dessert that night or the day after.

It was also another given, unbeknownst to Killua, that Elodea smuggled them secretly in the following days after.

Pranksters got to eat.

* * *

 **The Start of Their Everything**

It was deep into the night, only when the crescent moon shines bright amongst as sea of endless indigo sky. It was a sweet time when many folks in the country of Saherta are fast asleep, some loudly snoring in their beds or silently snoozing on the downstairs couch. Children, adults, puppies, kittens, tumblr users; everyone.

Almost everyone would have been asleep, except for the few students plagued with night duty on campus. The college of Arts and Sciences, in the University of Saherta. More specifically, the archeology and anthropology departments.

A wonderful place where one does not question classrooms filled to the brim with strange, odd, and very much useless artifacts. There are ox tail toothbrushes, mouthless glass bottles, large and thin stone rings which were supposedly the first hula-hoops. Besides from these extra ordinary trinkets, there are all kinds of skeletal remains of humans, monkeys, snakes, and the occasional hippopotamuses. Maybe the residents have become too desensitized to their surroundings with literal skeletons hanging in closets and drawers and cubbies, and think it's absolutely normal.

It especially didn't seem out of the ordinary to Gon Freecs, an archeological hunter in training. He never minded the shattered remains of his ancient ancestors or fully preserved wooly mammoths in his presence. He also didn't mind help transporting them to and from classes and even buildings. Humming along to his own beat, while the not so clever bystanders thought he was getting rid of evidence from a bloody murder. Although, they thought he was doing a rather poor job at it, exposing himself in broad daylight and all.

Then there were the other bystanders who know the truth. _Oh, those are just the archeology students, they do this all the time._ _Some of them are even hunters. Yeah, they always study bones and old medieval weapons and all that ancient stuff. No, I don't think you can borrow a skeleton for your sorority party._ _Yes, I've asked and they said no._

They nod their heads, happily say hello to Gon, and sometimes take quick selfies with whatever interesting cargo he is carrying.

Currently, yellow lights emitted from the windows of the brick building. In which a young hunter and a fellow colleague are cleaning up a very, very messy classroom.

Shu Ponnoc combed a hand through his hair. Not his hand. It was the hand of the standing, bleached skeleton dubbed _Lucy_. Shu laced the hand around his waist, flamboyantly, "she can't keep her hands off me. Is it a crime to be this irresistible?"

Gon shuffled through sheets of carbon paper and sorted through them. Separating the smaller and worn-down pieces away from the larger sheets. He dusted off the black dust that clung to his fingers on his pants. He glanced back and forth between his phone and work, "Ugh, Sure."

Shu sighed and rested his head on the table, drowsily. "Dude, I know I'm delirious during night shifts but at least humor me. These things can be so boring. Why did we have to be stuck cleaning up Mr. Satotz's office? The place turns into a pigsty every day. He'd should just leave it like it."

"So, it would save us the trouble of cleaning up and you can be sleeping in bed."

"Exactly!" Shu swiftly sat up straight, snapping his fingers. "I need at least eight hours of sleep to maintain this much gorgeous."

"It must be tough being you."

"I don't know how I pull off this impossible task every day." Shu rested his head on the table which was covered with dry smears of paint. Red, blue, yellow and an infinite amount of more colors graced the its surface. All these strokes and smears and marks were from the scientific illustrators working on their projects of drawing skulls and bones and vases and plants. They were very messy and rarely cleaned up properly. Shu picked at a dry patch of pink paint. It wouldn't come out.

"You can endure at least one more hour," Gon said while gently storing the bones away in the closest, occasionally looking at this phone.

"One more hour!? I want to go home now! Why are you so cruel!?"

"It's better that we finish our work now so we don't have to wait until the morning to do it." Gon passed by Shu and smacked a paper folder on his head, lightly.

Shu rubbed his head and mumbled. "What's with you hunters about striving towards your goals working your hardest against all odds? That sounds like too much work." Even the head of the archeology department is a hunter, and his name is Satotz! A man of many words yet with no mouth to project them. Satotz was more of a mystery than any of the relics stored in the building. Then there were the other hunters, like Gon, that Shu, an ordinary student, cannot entirely understand. For instance, both Shu and Gon have seen chimera ants. Shu saw measly remains of antennas and pincers, and thought of Chimeras as nothing more than oversized picnic ants that steal the crumbs off blueberry pies. While Gon encountered them on much more intimate occasions, in the flesh that almost tried to kill him, thrice. "Oh! I almost forgot. Congratulations on being placed in the Cayenne expedition project.

Gon was about to speak until his phone buzzed. His eyes lit up and he chuckled to himself, bending forward and backward as if he can't contain this sudden wave of happiness. Grinning madly over a bright screen. Rapid fire clicks emitted from the phone as he typed away. "I can't believe she said that."

"Said what? What did she say? Tell me!" Shu held up his hands, "Wait, is it about me? Don't say anything. But if it is about my hot am I. Then you can tell me."

Gon leaned against the wall, his heart was melting and he was smiling like the sun. Shu almost had to look away, it was too bright for his astigmatic eyes. Gon burrowed his face in his hands, still smiling. "Alluka just said goodnight. That's all."

Shu rested his chin in his hand. "Just a goodnight text? That's lame. I was hoping it was something juicy. Aren't you too going out?"

From ear to ear, a scarlet blush caressed all of Gon's face.

"Woah woah woah! I didn't know you'd get that flustered so easily! I'm sorry!" Shu yelped. He'd honestly thought Gon and Alluka were a couple. They always hang around and eat lunch with each other and he even knows that Alluka was also accepted into the Cayenne Project. Gon and Alluka found out at the same time when the announcement was made, they practically jumped into each other's arms. And Shu does like Alluka. She helped him by stalling a professor while Shu anxiously unjammed a printer that wouldn't let go of his final project. He was eternally grateful.

Gon looked at the clock, with a melancholy look on his face.

Shu saw the sad look in his friend's face that pierced his heart. He conceded. "Y'know, you've been working really hard like volunteering to do extra work, which I can't fathom why. Even though it's against everything I believe in, I think I can scarf down another energy drink and finish up cleaning the room and you can go rest. You're welcome."

Faster than Killua buying a Chocorobo, Gon grabbed his backpack and was out the door. "Thanks Shu!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be paying for it tomorrow morning, but I can be nice once in a while." Shu mumbled as he proceeded to stuff away boxes in the closet. Then he glanced at the hanging skeleton and quirked his eyebrow, "So, it's just you and me now."

The skeleton hung from its hook. Silent. Unmoving. Emotionless.

Shu threw up his hands in frustration. "Why are you always like this when he leaves!? That's it, I am done with you and I mean it this time!"

This is when Shon realized that he was probably breathing in too much carbon dust from the carbon tracing paper. Oh, the crazy things that stuff can do to a person. Shu wished he was at home, sleeping in his bed like a lazy cat. Why did he volunteer to finish all the work? Darn, he was too nice for his own good.

Maybe it was the look in Gon's eyes, the way his hazel eyes glistened brightly here and there. It reminded him of someone in love, but someone who was not sure how to go about it.

…..

Gon walked throughout the convenience store, picking up a midnight snack to cease the grumbling of his stomach. He grabbed a plastic wrapped ham sandwich and then a pack of starburst candy.

He smiled. It had strawberry and watermelon, which were Alluka's favorite.

When Gon finishes his night shift, on the way to his dorm, he passes by Alluka's. Then he leaves a pack of starburst candy in the basket of her bicycle. Then she'd write little notes on the wrappers from the day before. Sometimes little things like the weather or a joke or things that stuck out the most to her on that day. Or write how cute Gon looks with glasses or something that he did and gushes about it.

Gon has a horde of wrappers in his bottom sock drawer. These candy wrappers felt like a collection of sweet love letters.

Gon reminisced, after the chimer ant war, he parted ways with Killua and Alluka. He traveled back home to whale island. Even though he'd accomplished what he wanted, meeting his father, but he felt defeated. Depleted of his nen and spirit. Training his body from scratch wasn't at all like how he started out. His body was a blank stone slate that refused to be carved with either accomplishments or mistakes.

He didn't make any progress. As the years past with his nen slowly coming back to him, at a snail pace, he found something that took away his edge.

Maybe it was the fossil that Kon, once a fluffy cub to a mighty fox bear, brought back to Gon while he was hiking through the musky woods of the island, out of curiosity. Gon ran his fingers over the bumps and groves. He made out the outlines of a jaw, a fin, and a spiraling tail. The fossil was chipped and broken and worn down by its surroundings. Utterly defeated. But something was there, the creature was once full of life, beating and breathing in par with the rhythm of the world.

And it reminded Gon of himself. Of what he once was and what he currently is. Strong and weak. Before and after on his death bed of his battle with Pitou. He was full of life then completely void of it; Two truths in one form.

When he wanted to know about the fossil, he asked his aunt Mito. When he wanted to know more, he asked Granny Freecs. When his questions outweighed answers received, he was directed to go to the Whale Island public library, which was small and with not so many stuffed shelves of books. But Gon found what he needed. And for once, steam did not hiss out of Gon's ears and he did not protest opening a book and reading voraciously until his vision became blurry and his eyes became heavy.

His nose was stuck in a book, and he did not mind at all.

And he did not mind a friend to share his new-found love with. One summer on Whale Island, when the cicadas over sweep the forest with their beating wings and the sun bakes the land and sea and everything in it.

When he first saw her, after their first hello and first goodbye simultaneously at the World Tree years ago, he didn't know what pure sunshine looked like.

Of course, Gon thought he had a pretty good idea. It was the tender care when Mito brushes her hand over his shoulder. It was the sweet laugh of his Granny when she brews a cup of coffee and sways in her rocking chair. It was his best friend, Killua, whose smile and presence and banter makes him never feel alone.

Then he saw her and he couldn't find it in himself to look away. The rest of the world seemed to be ordinary and bland, because it couldn't compete with her radiance. It was the start of their everything.

Just, not the best start. A little rocky. What a disaster it was, more specifically how he was. Misfortune laughed and took it upon itself to make matters worse by swiping the breath from his lungs and twist his tongue into a tight knot. He couldn't muster a proper greeting and he came off as standoffish and unfriendly. Which he never was.

Which Alluka knew, and confronted him about that.

It was when they were passing through the market place. The streets were piled with tourist ogling shop displays of salty confections and seafood establishes nautical souvenirs.

But Gon could not, no, he didn't know how to explain himself. Eventually Alluka disappeared into the crowd, and didn't resurface for quite some time.

As the streetlamps began to brighten into silver spheres, Gon and Killua became anxious and off they searched for Alluka.

The last place, which should have been the first place to check, was the library. He burst through the doors and shouted her name as it echoed through the room. Bouncing from his mouth to his lips and back and forth between the walls.

His body stopped when he realized how lovely her name felt on his lips. Then a wave a guilt, that he wasn't worthy enough to breath her name that was better than anything poet can conjure with an inked pen and parchment paper.

The guilt continued as he indulged in speaking her name once again, but this time more softly since there were people reading, not wanted to be disturbed from the worlds in laying in their hands.

He mumbled apologies one after another. He drifted through the aisles, but did not lose hope.

Thank goodness, he didn't. He came across Alluka browsing the last shelf of the last row at the far end of the library.

The room lit up when he saw how nestled up she was, with a stack of books by her side, another stack on her other. An opened book lay her in lap and another in her hands.

When he looked up at him, he wanted to shy away. Suddenly, his tongue untangled when he recognized the book Alluka was reading, one he's read countless times and loved.

It was a good icebreaker, and that's all they talked about. Until Gon became comfortable and misfortune didn't look so lowly of him as it did before. Their conversation drifted on, endlessly. They talked about many things, from their shared interest in fossils and relics and lost civilizations. (Which he never knew they shared until this very moment) The island, her adventures and traveling the world with Killua, (which he can listen to on and on about without getting tired) and they talked about Killua. (of course)

When Killua stealth-fully snuck into the library, without either of them noticing. His bubbles burst when he felt like barging in, interrupting their fun when he heard his name along with a stream of laughter, that dragged on and on and on. Killua didn't know when it would stop.

His name and laughter do not go well together! He wanted to smack Gon on the head and tell him so.

But he didn't.

He sighed and pulled a chair out at a table and picked up a book that was already there. Forgotten by another reading. It was something along the lines of a complete beginner's guide to understanding and appreciating sea anemones, intertwined with consumerism and western industrialism.

Killua began to understand why this _interesting_ read was left behind. But he still opened it up and his eyes scanned the pages, at least there were pictures. He turned his head and heard more laughter and shushes from an annoyed librarian. Yet the two giggled and whispered to each other back and forth, until their voices and laughs began to rise in volume once again, with the librarian rounding about the corner. Repeating the whole cycle again.

Killua smiled to himself as he turned another page. Thinking of his best friend and sister, finally hitting it off after all the awkwardness and mumbles and waiting for the other make the first move.

He heard Alluka's precious laugh, that of morning bells, in response to Gon's gibberish.

It was about time.

….

Coins jingled as Gon rummaged through his wallet, getting the exact amount of change out. He bought a meal and a pack of starbursts.

To him, Alluka was more than a friend. But did she consider him the same way? Gon sighed, which caught the cashier's attention. He's seen Gon wonder throughout the store many times, but never has he looked so distressed.

The cashier, _Steve_ , or so it said on his nametag, you can never be too sure. After all, his previous name tag said _Paul_. _Steve_ inquired, "I'd say good night, but I don't think it applies at this moment. What's got you down in the dumps when you are the second perkiest person to walk through these revolving doors?"

"I'm second? Who's first?"

"Bob the garbage man. He's also my bingo buddy down at the community center. Boy, can he spin the cage and draw winning numbers. Ah, Bob. What a great guy." Steve them remembered the moment at present. "I'm sorry! We're talking about you. Yes! Yes! What seems to be the problem?"

"Actually, it's-

"Wait! Don't tell me, I know this! Let me guess." Steve pointed, "It's lady problems."

Gon nodded.

"And you don't know how to confess your love to her."

"Exactly."

"Then roses are your solution my boy!" He walked to the front of the store and picked a bouquet of red roses from a bucket. Before he handed the bouquet to Gon, Steve ripped off the tag which read, _get well soon_. "With these, she will be head over heels for you in no time. I can also through in a (plastic) diamond ring, y'know, to seal the deal." He elbowed Gon in the ribs.

But Gon could not accept them, bouquet or capsule toy ring, "Alluka's favorite flowers are carnations and larkspurs. Convenience store roses wouldn't mean that much to her."

Steve tossed the bouquet away, "That's a close call, she would have broken up with you otherwise." He rested his chin on his hand, thinking. "What else could convey your undying love to her? Hmm… let me go look in the reference section!" By reference section, he means the small stack of teen magazines next to the nonperishable foods such as the Twinkies, canned cheese spray, and beef jerky. The abundance of knowledge these stabled papers hold! Such as redefining the status quo, masking blemishes with peculiar remedies, and broadcasting the latest drama amongst teen celebrities. Steve skipped to _Ask Linda,_ an advice column where love sick puppies receive advice that will most likely not help them in the slightest. Steve looked over to Gon, and back at the paper. No, Gon is not a camp counselor crushing on his co-worker and the only time he gets to see her is to help her apply mosquito disinfectant on all severely bitten camp kids in the nurse's rickety cabin that can blow over with the slightest gust of wind.

Steve flipped through the pages, fervently.

Gon looked up, towards the speakers projecting a familiar song he knew. A song he heard Alluka listen to. A song he and Alluka would sing along and laugh to.

Inspiration struck Gon! He slammed a random amount of money on the counter and took a radio set with him. "Thanks for everything Steve! Keep the change!"

Steve looked back and forth between Gon and the magazine. "But don't you want to know the top ten facts that confirm if your crush crushes on you back!?" He rushed, almost tripping over a small cart next to the newspaper stand. Papers sprawled all across the tile floor as he staggered to put them back.

He furrowed his brow and thought of Gon, poorly. What will the boy do without his guidance?

…..

Alluka stretched her arms over her head and yawned.

She looked down at her open laptop with her unfinished report glaring back at her. She was almost finished too, but she got and walked around her room. Exercising her muscles and getting the blood flowing from sitting too long.

Her roommate, Feyll Carr, barged in. "You're still working on that report? Go to sleep already."

"I can't, not when I'm so close to finishing."

"Man, that Satotz guy really rings you hunters dry. I feel sorry for you." Feyll looked under her bed and pulled out a box that stores her sweaters. It's freezing in the lounge room. "When's your report due?"

Alluka slouched down in her chair. "Tomorrow morning." She glanced at the digital clock, it was almost 3 AM. "Well, later today. And I have so many loose ends to tie together."

Feyll hastily threw on her sweater and leaned over Alluka's desk. "Maybe I can help you, English majors are notorious pros at bull-shitting reports."

"Does that really work?" Alluka asked, skeptically.

"Of course! That's how I got A's in all of my lit and history classes. Now, move over and let me work my magic."

Alluka happily complied and pulled out one of her many reference articles. She spoke, "Okay, in this paragraph I'm differentiating what this archeologist has analyzed about the Lurka civilization while applying what this philosopher spoke of them using their rune system as a way of creating a hyper-realistic simulation of events that happened and those to come and-

Feyll rolled her chair and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Alluka asked.

"I'm sorry, but you lost me at Lurka. What on earth is a Lurka?"

"Well _lurka_ roughly translates to 'dwellers of fire,' and refers to the indigenous people who built the Lurk ruins in the year 340-

Feyll shook her hands and headed to the door, "I can pull off an entire paper on binary oppositions alone, but I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. You can help yourself to the snacks in my minifridge, if that helps." The door closed behind her. Leaving Alluka and her report behind.

Alluka sauntered over to the minifridge, only to be disappointed. There were a few soda bottles and mint candies she didn't like. But she grabbed a cherry flavored lollipop and may do with that. The wrapper clung to the sticky, sugary surface. The plopped it in her mouth and typed away.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. It was text message from Gon. "Look outside your window 3" it read.

Quickly, she rushed to her window. As she did, she heard the rhythm and beat of a pop song, she's come to love and hate simultaneously. It was corny and unoriginal, but it was a classic all the same.

Then she saw Gon, standing beneath a bright lamppost like he was an actor on center stage. He smiled up at her, the sun that she is, giving him the best reason to wake up and start every day. "I am here to serenade you!" He said. "Are you ready?"

"Wait," Alluka said, then rummaged to her desk and returned with her lollipop. "Okay, I'm ready."

"This is dedicated to you Alluka! I'm going to give it my all!"

She hid her smile behind her lollipop, which did a poor job of doing so.

Gon turned up the volume up and began to sing enchanting lyrics from a karaoke version of a song called "What makes you beautiful," by One direction. " _Baby you light up my world like nobody else. The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed. But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell you don't knoooow oooh oooh!"_ Gon screeched _,_ then coughed but quickly rebounded, _"You don't know your BEAUTIFUL!"_

Then, for the love of Satotz, Gon started dancing. Or you can guess that one would call it dancing. He looked like a bobbing chicken with ants in his pants. But he was a chicken with a lot of love and, gosh darn it, he was going to express all of that.

He did some hybrid move between the Macarena and the Cha-Cha slide. Alluka laughed until she noticed the night guard flashing his light at Gon, along with his watch dog, Bettie.

The guard was still far away, but he was notified of a disturbance near the girl's dorm. Some fool was blasting music at an unreasonable hour and was probably under the influence of poor taste suggesting from the outdated and cheesy song he was playing.

He squinted his eyes and unleashed Bettie, a German shepherd, from her leash. She was growling madly, showcasing her sharp canines. "Go sick him girl!" He said as the watch dog unleashed its fiery.

"Gon!" Alluka yelled, panic stricken. "Watch out!"

"Hmm?" Gon turned and saw a fierce beast approach him fast. "Bettie!" Gon cried.

As Bettie got closer, she saw a better view of the young man in front of her. It was no delinquent! It was Gon Freecs! Oh! How she loved him! He always gives her the best belly rubs and scratches behind the ears in just the right spot.

Her growling ceased and her tail wagged, playfully. She jumped into Gon's arms and howled a cheerful note. Gon looked like a giant ball of fluff holding the German shepherd in his arms.

Finally, both of them began to dance. Bettie got on her hind legs and hopping and howling to the song along with Gon.

"Hey you!" the guard yelled, running up to Gon at a rather slow pace.

Not wanting to get caught, Gon climbed up the fire escape leading to Alluka's window. Now, they were facing each other, eye to eye.

"That was beautiful." She said.

"Harry styles kind of beautiful or Shawn Mendes kind of beautiful?"

She kissed him on the lips, a kiss that tasted like sweet cherries, "Neither. It's _your_ kind of beautiful. My favorite kind."

"Alluka," Gon said, holding her hands. "Would you consider going out with me? I know I'm not the best guy out there. Okay, so sometimes I'm lazy and stubborn and prideful and I forget to turn off the washer machine when I go out and then there was that one time I—

"Gon," Alluka hushed him. Then she smiled like the sun. Like the way Gon saw her on Whale Island years ago. In the library, where they practically closed off an entire aisle sitting on the floor and forgot that time and space existed around them. It was just him and her and no one else.

He also forgot the guard yelling beneath him, "Get down from there!"

Swiftly, Alluka pulled Gon through the window and into her room. She pulled him straight into her world. Even if she didn't, there would be no point in asking. Gon would jump on his own free will, backwards and blindfolded if he had to.

….

The hallway was packed with a few eavesdropping ears. They huddled their heads nest the door and tried to hear the conversation going on the other side, not until they were spotted by Alluka's roommate, Feyll.

"Why are you all standing in front of my room!?" Feyll said, "Move, I need to get in there."

"You can't do that." One girl said.

"I can't?" Feyll quirked up an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"You'll be interrupting something beautiful!" Another said, hearts popping out of her eyes.

"Something beautiful?" Feyll scoffed, and walked past the girls, turning the doorknob. "Move aside, I need to grab snacks." Then she did. She closed the door behind her, only to return several long seconds later. She opened the door with a bag of chips and two soda bottles. Good thing she doesn't have any classes tomorrow morning or else she wouldn't stay up so late watching the _Heaven's Arena Live_ on television. The program only aired during the early morning time slots, what a shame. Her favorite fighter was the freaky clown with the face make-up in high heels.

"So," One girl said, "what was going on? We can't hear a thing on this side of the door."

"What are you all? Pesky vermin's?" Feyll said, "If you really want to know, it was nothing juicy or anything. They are just cuddling and telling each other how much they love the other. That's not really my cup of tea. Now of you'll excuse me, I need to get back downstairs and watch some guy's face kiss concrete. With his teeth. Ciao."

And so, a couple was born!

Alluka laid her head on Gon's chest. She felt the rise and fall of his every breath and the rough texture of his sweater pressed against her cheek. They stayed that way for a long time, until the sun began to rise and Alluka realized she had a report to finish.

"Hey," she said. "Do you know what we are supposed to specifically include in our reports?"

Gon blinked a few times then answered, uneasily, "there's a report due tomorrow?"

"Today."

He just stared and stared and stared. Into a deep dark abyss. Then Alluka handed him a pillow. "Use this to scream into."

"Thank you." He gratefully accepted the gift and burrowed his head into it, muffled cries and all.

She combed a hand through his short, black hair. And thought of the first time they met at the World Tree, she wanted to say it then, but couldn't find it in herself to.

No wonder her brother loves Gon so much, and practically everyone who meets him. He shines so bright, you can't help but look at him.

She couldn't help but know, that it was the start of their everything.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Did you like this chapter with the fluff and cheesiness? (I hope it wasn't weird...)** **It was kind of all over the place XDD but I hoped you guys liked it XDD tell me what you thought pretty please!**

 **Thank you so much for all the support, the reason I got this far is because of you guys! Support keeps the story afloat (and from plummeting deep into the ocean)**

 **See you guys next time! Bye!**


	34. Chapter 30: Lemons x and x Crabs

**Chapter 30: Lemons x and x Crabs **

Thalassa gazed upon her scaly counterpart, Puntos, who was sluggishly lying about the carpet with an empty plate by his side. The plate, now barren, was once full of decadent chocolate chip cookies. Which he ate all by himself and saved none for her. Thalassa smoldered at the sleeping form and thought how long it would take her to roll him up in that carpet and chuck it out the window, with him snoring in it. Nay, she thought. Garbage shouldn't be thrown from the third story window. And Madrid really liked that carpet too.

Instead, she hovered over his sleeping form and rolled her eyes and settled on Madrid's shoulder.

Puntos snored loudly and scratched one of his green scales that was becoming a tad too itchy.

No one in the room payed any attention to the nen beasts, except Madrid and Elodea who were the only ones that could feel their presence. Elodea heard both of their aura's. Thalassa's was synchronized, with an unpredictable beat popping in and out at times. For Puntos, his was more relaxed and mellow, probably because he was lazily resting on the carpet.

Elodea looked at the nen beast's then to those in front of him. How would these people react to seeing two scaly creatures lounging around the room eating cookies and calling each other, not child appropriate, names. The family of four was in their company. The family which consisted of a mother, who looked eager to converse with Madrid and Elodea. A father, whose hair was beginning to turn into the color of snow. A daughter, who was the eldest child. She sat promptly in her chair, back straight as an arrow with her hands folded in her lap. On one finger laid a silver band. She was to wed her lover in the following days. He was a janitor at the embassy. One might gloat that he was janitor of the month seventeen times in a row. An incredible accomplishment for being the only working janitor there. Anyway, her hair was tied back into a tight bun with a single clip, preventing lose ends from becoming undone. While poised, she spoke eloquently.

Then there was the son, who was the exact opposite of his elder sister. His amethyst eyes were hidden under his atrocious mess of bangs. Black curls protruded in all directions and looked impossible to tame even with the aid of combs and gel and hair ties. He slouched low in his chair while his hands were stuffed into his pockets. He remained silent for majority of the conversation.

Madrid wouldn't be the only one showing Elodea around the northern Islands, specifically in a small harbor town named _Kalamati_. Since Madrid is a delegate, voted by the people, to the northern islands; she truly immerses herself with the worries and aches of her citizens. She knows many of them on a personal level, despite all the islands knowing hers.

This family in particular was heavily involved with the reconstruction of the system after the rebels were trialed and jailed for their crimes. Even more so, the family has agreed to become a host family for Elodea.

The son, quietly sat in his seat and stared at Elodea. Without blinking.

Elodea quickly looked away when they caught each other's gaze.

The father spoke, "Kostas," he said to his son. "Show Elodea around town, this is his first time visiting and would appreciate if you did that for him."

Kostas begrudgingly shrugged and simply nodded his head towards Elodea. Gesturing for him to follow. Which he did. Elodea said his thanks to the family and followed Kostas out the door, in silence.

When they cascaded down the flight of stairs and towards the exit, Kostas did not say a single word. "So," Elodea said breaking the ice while swaying on the heels of his feet. "Thanks for doing all of this and taking me in on such a short notice. Even though I just recently found out about my birthplace and it's a lot to take in… I'm really eager to learn and immerse myself within the culture. Thank you for having me."

"Wooooah, dude. You don't have to act so proper." Kostas laughed as he slung a bag over his back. "This isn't the first time we've acted as a host family, so it's not a big deal. But I gotta ask you! This is the first time we've ever taken someone in whose traveled as much as you have. What's it like living in Diamond city? I've always wanted to go to a city, the closest thing we have to that is town square, but it's not as nearly as crowded as I've seen it on TV. And are there really those hotdog carts on every street corner? Don't you get sick of eating them all the time? What's a hotdog?" Kosta couldn't contain his excitement as he babbled these questions all in one breath.

"One," said Elodea. "Hotdogs are processed meat."

"What kind of meat?"

"Mystery meat."

"That's the kind grandma uses in her spaghetti! I guess it's the same meat no matter where you go."

Elodea laughed, "I guess it's universal. And two, city law prohibits a certain number of vendors selling goods per street. Besides hotdog vendors, there are a lot of churro stands. I've only lived in Diamond City for a few months. But my dad and I traveled to other places besides major cities, and we've even stayed in NGL for almost a year and other smaller towns in cottages and motels. But, where we live, changes a lot of times."

Kostas rested his arms behind his head, "Oh yeah, I remembered what Madrid said. She said that you guys lived in forty different homes or something. Is that really true?"

Elodea shrugged, casually. "Maybe thirty-nine."

Kostas gawked, "I've only ever left the islands once, when I was four, and it was for a train convention I don't even remember." A family photo of the occasion lays glued into a photo album. Where one can see a little Kostas, frowning rather unhappily in the conductor's seat of the cenberry train, which took part in the convention of old and new locomotives. "I've always wanted to travel. You're so lucky."

Just then Elodea wanted to say the exact opposite to Kostas. How he was so lucky for having a permanent home, but just then Kostas's phone buzzed and he lifted it towards his face and spoke. He chatted and looked back and forth between elodea and his phone, an entity of its own. Finally, he hung up with a smile plastered on his face.

"The guys and I are going to go crab hunting then hang out at our usual spot. But they first asked me to go the market and buy lemons for the sauce because they forgot, or they were too lazy to pick them up themselves. It's usually both. C'mon I know a short cut through the marsh that will lead us straight to the market."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure! Ask away."

"You're really chatty now, so why were you so quiet before y'know with Madrid and your parents?"

"Oh that. It's not a big deal. I'm having a fight with my dad, so I'm not talking to him." Kostas waved away the small detail without a thought, which Elodea thought wasn't so small. "Let's hurry to the market before the only thing they have left is limes." Kostas said. He stuck out his tongue and gave a sour looking face.

The fled from the apartment complex and onto the main road. While passing, Elodea glimpsed at the houses around him. They were small and many were painted white with blue, tiled roofs. They walked on the side of the road where old fiats buzzed past them, leaving clouds of black smoke fuming in their faces.

Then they passed a farmer and a donkey by her side. Baskets were tied onto the animal's back full of freshly snipped oregano leaves along with chamomile flowers, stems and roots and petals.

Kostas lead the way down hill, passing beach vines and grass. Soon the surface of the ground began to change, becoming uneven as it changed from dirt to rocks to sand.

The smell of salt water surrounded them as they ran towards the ocean. Elodea ran alongside Kostas, jumping over heaps and piles of sand dunes as beach grass swatted against their legs. Then they ran through a flock of seagulls that were resting merrily on the soft sand. The birds quickly leaped into the air, flapping their wings madly away from the intruders. The boys laughed as they were greeted unpleasantly with high pitched shrieks and caws from the grey and white birds.

Surely, they had better things to do than terrorize seagulls, but Kostas had to give Elodea the complete Kukan'yu experience. You only live once and that meant, at least running through one flock of seagulls in your entire life. An unforgettable experience.

A white feather, which belonged to a panicked bird, floated down towards the ground. Elodea saw and swiped it the air before it touched the earth. He twiddled with it in between his fingers as the smooth edges glided off his skin.

Kostas spoke, "That's good luck! The first feather to fall from the first bird flying on the first day of the full moon to land in the hands of a first born is undoubtedly the best first luck one can ever receive!"

"Really?"

"Nah, I just made that up on the spot. But it could be good luck of you want it to be."

Then Elodea tossed it back into the air and let it fall to pierce a sand tune with its rough tip. "It gave me luck, and now I'll leave it so someone else and can find it. Maybe it can bring them luck."

Kostas picked up the feather and stuck it behind his ear, "I could really use some good luck and a million dollars."

"I think that feather is going to let you down."

Kostas was about to retort until he saw something shiny glimmer beneath his shoe, the peculiar treasure was barely covered by the sand. He brushed away the granules and smiled from ear to ear as he held up his treasure towards Elodea. "What were you saying Elodea? I couldn't hear you over the mystical powers this feather has bestowed upon me."

"That's a bottle cap," Elodea laughed.

"God dammit, work with me Elodea! You need to look beyond the surface layer of things. The inside is where everything important truly matters." Take an oyster for instance. The outside of the shell is course and rough and very unpleasant. The ridges are scratched and corroded by barnacles. But the treasure lies within that unsightly shell, where one can find glistening, smooth pearls. Diamonds of the sea.

"So, I need to look beyond the grime and rust and dirt of that bottle cap."

"Exactly. If you flip over the cap, you can see the date it was manufactured. That was well over a decade ago! Do you know what this means and how much Jenny we can get for selling this!"

"I do!" Elodea exclaimed, exaggerated. "That's enough to buy a brand new bottlecap! It's what I've always dreamed of!"

Just then, Kostas threw the cap with all his might towards the water. It skidded over the surface until it finally plunged beneath the grey waters, never to be seen again.

"Wow." Elodea whistled. "It skipped three times. How lucky is that?"

"You're something else."

"So, I've been told."

They ran past the beach grass and sea gulls and decrepit wooden shacks. Their feet thumped rapidly against the dirt path then on the cobblestones. Finally they arrived on the concrete road leading to town square. The rays of the sun shined brightly on Kostas's smile, "I hope you stay for a while."

"Me too."

* * *

Gen took a deep breath in. Then out. Then in. Then out again.

"Are you sure about this?" Gon asked, uncertainly. A droplet of sweat trickled down from his forehead. "There is nothing wrong with turning back and calling it quits."

Gen shook his head as he gripped his fists, tightly. "No, Elodea wouldn't turn back or call it quits. He'd see this through until the very end. I'm ready!" He gulped. A fire of determination burned in his eyes.

"Alright, you know what's best." Gon nodded, "but mommy and I will be right here if you need us."

"I know." Gen mumbled as he unfolded a paper napkin and tied it around his neck.

Alluka then unveiled the silver platter in front of Gen.

Gen scowled at his worst, arch enemy to ever stand in his way.

Cucumbers.

Fruit of the devil.

 _We meet again_ , Gen thought.

Time to back track. Gen was progressing nicely with his list that stated all the similarities and traits that he shares with his cousin Elodea. That does in fact prove that they are cousins. Gen laughed at the words that Elodea spoke out of frustration during that online chat, _not cousins._ Fooey! Gen shall prove his dear cousin wrong with his amazing list!

So far, Gen was about to complete the fifty-seventh trait that made him and Elodea best buds. They both like to eat cucumbers. Well, Elodea loves to eat cucumbers. Gen, sadly, loathes cucumbers. He'd rather stack them, roll them, pile them together, or put them on his uncle's eye lids as a prank, but not eat them. No, that was absurd. Who'd ever think of such a dastardly idea?

Eating cucumbers. Yuck.

But Elodea loves cucumbers. So, Gen should love them too. Or at least try.

Gen gulped at the horrid sight in front of him. He picked up a slice of the cucumber sandwich. Thin, slimy slices were placed on the fluffy bed. He held it within his hands and his insides were already curdling from the smell.

He looked away and puckered his lips, unpleasantly.

It's just a sandwich. It's just a green sandwich. It's just a disgusting, green, slimy sandwich.

"Are you alright my sweet gumdrop?" Alluka asked as she gently rubbed his back. "You don't have to force yourself to like something. You gave it a chance and that's even more important."

"That's right!" Gon said.

"I can do this!" Gen gulped and slowly turned towards the putrid menace. His lips began to quiver and his confidence began to dwindle. He opted to just bite into the bread with barely any cucumber. But that was cheating.

Quickly, he took the biggest bite he could manage out of the sandwich and began chewing with his eyes shut tight.

Then he opened his eyes and munched a little more pleasantly. Y'know, it wasn't so bad if the cucumbers are garnished with mayo and black pepper and even the fluffy bread does help to mask the taste.

Then his chewing began to slow and his stomach began to turn against him. He was wrong. He was very wrong.

He gagged once, and thought he could control himself if he was able to swallow the mixture, but Alluka knew better and had the towel ready in her hands and just in time.

Because Gen surely needed it.

Later, Gen sorely scribbled on his list that he could tolerate cucumbers for, at most, three seconds. Three short seconds. And that he can puke afterwards. Not everyone can do that.

But he did not give himself a check or sticker for that trait. He did not like cucumbers and he will never love cucumbers like Elodea. Even though he tried, he knocked it far out of the ball park. He just has to face the facts.

Suddenly, a light bulb went off in Gen's head.

He grinned and reached for a crayon. He scribbled in the shared trait he has with Elodea and it was a thousand times better than eating silly old cucumbers.

They both try with all their heart.

* * *

Elodea and Kostas ran all the way to the market. They stopped in front of the store, catching their breaths.

Elodea breathed as he hunched over and leaned his hands on his knees, "your fast."

"Faster than you," Kostas retorted.

"Don't go stretching the truth."

"Maybe I'll beat you next time running down the hill."

"As if. When is that lucky feather supposed to work anyway?"

Kostas stretched his arms over his head and back again, untangling the knots in his muscles, "it already has." He said to Elodea. Then he took the feather out from behind his ear and placed it down onto a rock for someone else to find it. Maybe it will bring them good luck, such as finding a new friend like it did for him. "Alright! Let's get down to business!"

"To defeat the Huns?"

Kostas laughed. "Maybe some other time, but I can kick Shan Yu's butt any day. Just give me a chaotic empire in distress and I'll save the day." Then Kostas sliced the air in front of him with a quick swipe of his hand, imitating his best martial arts technique that Mulan herself would respectfully welcome to join the imperial army. All he needs is a dragon, and a lucky cricket. But those are impossible to find. "The list as follows! We need lemon, butter, parsley, chili pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic."

"Okay." Elodea followed Kostas into the store, but Kostas immediately stopped. He refrained from opening the door and instead turned around towards Elodea. Nervousness drenched his face as he bit the bottom of his lip. "What's wrong?"

"Oh. Nothing really. But, um, can you do me a little favor?"

"No problem. What it is?" Elodea said, already thinking Kostas forgot his wallet and he probably had to lend him some money, but Elodea was wrong. Off by an entire spectrum of misunderstanding.

"It's nothing personnel or anything, but while we're in the market, can you not talk. Like not at all."

"I didn't know that I was that annoying—

"No, you're not, please don't get me wrong. Never mind, that came out really wrong. Let me start again." Kostas said bluntly. "You sound different."

"I think everyone does."

"No, what I mean is," Kostas desperately fumbled for the right words. "You know that you were born here, right."

Elodea nodded.

"Well, at the same time you're not from here."

"So that makes me a contradiction."

"Yes!" Kostas said, "You look like you're from here and anyone who looks at you wouldn't question that, but when you speak they'll know right away you aren't. It's because you don't have our accent. When we hear each other its unnoticeable, but with you it isn't. You'll stick out and they'll know right away you're foreign. It would help if you could roll off your _psi's."_ Kostas said with ease.

Elodea struggled as he twisted his tongue and his lips opened and locked shut while trying to form the correct pronunciation of the sound. Only a defeated plop came out of his mouth. A mild blush colored his face.

"That's okay, but the owner of the store isn't _fond_ of foreigners. It's nothing against you personally. He's a total jerk, but that's the way he is and he isn't going to change anytime soon. I just don't want him to give you a hard time."

"I'll stay silent as a lamb then." Elodea said, but he honestly has dealt with much worse, like a crazed chimera ant, dangerous convicts, and spicy curry which was the worst of them all.

The bell chimed as they swung open the door to the market. The air conditioner hummed throughout the entire store as a cheesy song played over the radio. Kostas grabbed a small plastic cart that was dyed green. Elodea followed him as they were immediately greeted by a man standing behind the counter. The jerk put down his newspaper and spoke.

"Hello Kostas, how's the family doing?" It's a small town. Everybody knows everybody.

"Fine thanks." Kostas said looking past the aisles.

"A fresh shipment of produce arrived this morning, so whatever you're looking for, there should still be plenty left." The man leaned forward and stared at Elodea, "I haven't seen you before. You're a friend of Kostas?" Which translated into, _where are you from?_

Elodea, naturally, was about to open his mouth. Until he remembered what Kostas said, so he clamped his mouth shut and simply nodded his head.

"Cat got your tongue?" He laughed conveniently as a cat walked down the aisle and jumped onto a box then onto the countertop. Its tail dangled slowly from side to side over the edge. Its yellow eyes locked onto Elodea, as if waiting for him to reveal himself.

Kostas swung his arm over Elodea's shoulder, playfully. He might as well have some fun. "He's my very very verrry distant cousin visiting from Apsilon" he said with a perfectly rolled _psi_. "All the way from the east Islands. Never knew he existed before that terrible phone call on that dreadful morning."

"What happened?" The store owner asked, half-heartedly concerned.

"Well, you see. My dear, long lost cousin was a total shut in and the only best friend he had was the family goat, Gertrude, who they procured milk from. It's sad if you ask me." Kostas said solemnly while smiling through his teeth.

Elodea shot Kostas a questioning and borderline nasty look, but Kostas continued the tall tale.

"But then tragedy struck!" Kostas proclaimed, "Gertrude was getting old and her milk was getting bitter. So, his parents made a long and hard decision of Gertrude's imminent future. It was unfortunate that he slept in early that morning and woke up to the smell of meat roasting over the fire. When he ran downstairs for lunch, he fainted when he saw his dearly beloved…" Elodea then dug his face into Kostas's shoulder, and feigned the sounds of mad sniffling. "I can't even finish that sentence without bringing back all that heartache." His voice croaked as he covered his mouth, chocking back crocodile tears. "Excuse me."

The man slowly opened up his newspaper and mumbled, "I-I'm sorry?…I hope you recover from this serious ailment very soon…" He opened the papers wide and shrouded himself behind them, just then, a crossword puzzle displayed itself in front of his face. The question for the first line asked what was a nine-lettered word for the ludicrously insane and one word popped into his mind, 'teenagers.'

Kostas spoke, "My poor and entirely pathetic cousin thanks you for your generosity."

"Umm… we've also received a shipment of cheese and milk-"

Elodea let out a remorseful whimper in the embrace of his 'cousin.' The store owner shuddered back, utterly bewildered.

"There, there dear cousin. I see the wound is still fresh in your heart. Gertrude would be sad to see you this way. Let's finish our shopping and return home to mourn her passing properly."

Elodea sheepishly nodded with his face nuzzled in his hands. They turned away from the man who was hiding behind his newspaper, while they were trying to tone down their snickers as they gathered the ingredients.

After, when they left the market and the coast was clear, they immediately burst out laughing.

Kostas laughed, "Did you see the look on his face!? That was priceless!"

"Where did you come up with that crazy story? Was that off the top of your head too?"

"Kind off, I knew a guy who really loved his family's goat. But he still ate her in the end. I made the rest up."

"That's harsh." Elodea said, deadpanned.

"That's life. I've eaten plenty of chickens and goats I've named." Kostas shrugged. "You're a really good actor. Do they teach you that in the city?"

"No," Elodea said, "They teach you how to lie."

"I think they teach that everywhere."

"I guess it's universal."

"Like mystery meat?"

"Exactly like mystery meat."

* * *

Gen struggled for more similar traits.

He sat in front of a toy piano with only 26 keys. He smashed his hands down on the black and white keys with a great force.

Gen knows that Elodea loves to play the piano! And he is very good at it and Gen loves hearing him play too!

Gen, once again, flopped his hands up and down on the toy piano, whose base was painted yellow and pink with blue music notes painted on its sides.

Gen closed his eyes and lifted up his chin. He decided that he will play eloquently and beautifully like Elodea. Although that thought was pristine in Gen's mind, it obviously was not in his hands.

But that didn't stop him from creating, or forcefully punching out, a tune.

When the piece was finished, Gen lifted up his hands like he's seen Elodea do and turn to his audience, which consisted of a few stuffed animals, several books such as _Hamlet_ and _Macbeth_ becausethey are important guests, and his mommy who had a front row seat of Gen's magnificent concert!

Alluka clapped, happily. "Yay! That was beautiful my little gumdrop!"

Gen bowed, as expected of a maestro. He picked up his list, which was already three pages long, front and back. He happily wrote in that he and Elodea both play the piano. He didn't say that he could play good, but he could play nonetheless. And that was enough to put it on the list.

Gen cocked his head to his side and thought of more things he could write down. He asked Alluka. "Mommy, what nen type is Elodea?"

"Elodea is a manipulator."

Gen said, passionately. "Then I want to be a manipulator too!"

"That's very sweet of you Gen, but everyone is born with their own individual nen type. Even though uncle Coal is my brother, he's a transmuter which is far different from mine."

"But…but…does that mean I'm not…"Gen said, already on the verge of tears as his lips quivered. "If Elodea is a manipulator then I have to be one too." He hiccupped as he gripped his list. It all came down to this final fact! This would prove once and for all that they are cousins!

Suddenly Alluka had a brilliant idea, so she took Gen by his hand and said, "It is never too early to find your nen type and I know an easy way to do it."

"Really?" Gen said, excited.

"Yup, and the materials we need are in the kitchen."

"To the kitchen!" Gen yelped as he impatiently ran towards it. He ran in place in front of the fridge and the cabinets and the sink. Finally, Alluka set everything down onto the table.

Gen sat in his chair, giddy. A clear glass of water was placed in front of him along with a small box of circular paper. Gen was tempted to drink the glass in front of him, since his throat was dry.

He took a quick sip when Alluka was opening up the LP paper box.

Alluka said, "Uncle Leorio made the LP paper, which can determine anyone's nen type regardless of them being nen users. It is a very useful invention especially in the medical field."

"Uncle Oreo is a smarty pants." Gen giggled. "Will the paper tell me I'm a manipulator like Elodea?"

"We'll see, but you can be something else entirely and that's just as good." She said as she placed one circular sheet of paper in Gen's hands. He pressed the paper firmly in-between them, to get all the manipulator juice in it. Because Gen thought, no, he knew he was a manipulator. The paper test will just be a confirmation. "You can even be an enhancer like daddy."

Gen wrinkled his nose and shook his head, "That's not cool."

Alluka laughed.

"What about you mommy? Are you an enhancer too?"

"I used to have an overlapping nen type. I'm an emitter now, but I also used to be a specialist."

"Ooooooh," Gen cooed, but then he quirked up an eyebrow, confused. "You're not a specialist anymore? Why?"

Alluka smiled, sadly. She thought of her painful past that caused her so much heartache that left her feeling empty for so long. Losing half of herself made her body succumb to terrible malaise and her spirit infinitely alone. She said simply, not wanting to upset her son, "I grew out of it." It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth. It was grey and somewhere in-between.

Gen nodded his head and understood exactly what his mommy said.

Nen must be like clothes and shoes! You grew too big and suddenly you realize you can't fit into your favorite pair of sneakers anymore. That striped jacket you wore is now too snug around the waist. But can't people be refitted for nen? Is there a shopping place for it too? Whole businesses? Gen contemplated the interesting scenario, but he was told to place the LP paper in the glass of water. He did and waited for his results.

He waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

His eye lids were becoming heavy, then he snored out loud, waking himself up from almost napping during this crucial stage of the experiment. He turned towards Alluka, frowning. "It's not doing anything."

Gen tapped his index finger against the glass, hoping to start a reaction, hoping that the paper would move for him. Just an inch, just a small circle, or even a few wiggles. He must be a manipulator! That was his only option, but nothing happened. The paper floated on the surface of the water and moved along with the ripples Gen created with each tap against the glass.

If the paper moved, Gen was a manipulator. If the water began to change in volume, he was an enhancer. If the paper changed color or formed impurities or did anything, he was some kind of nen user!

The only reaction to appear in front of their eyes was the sinking of the paper. As the paper began to sink deeper towards the bottom of the glass, so did Gen's confidence.

Suddenly Alluka spoke, confidently. "The water must taste different, which would then make you a transmuter." Alluka dipped her finger in the glass and tasted a morsel of the possibly sugary drink. Then Gen took a big sip of the water.

They both looked at each other, unconvinced. Alluka borrowed her brows. Even with the paper, there should be an obvious honey taste. But the water was bland and tasteless. Therefore, Gen was not a transmuter either.

"I'm not anything!?" Gen whined, distressed.

"Hmm. No, you are definitely something." Alluka said. She picked up and read the back of the box, "maybe there is an expiration date to best use it by. We did get this box years ago when Elodea was only six years old."

With a click of a lock the front door opened. Gon shouted. "I'm home." He carried a box of kind of, not really, authentic take out Chinese food. He didn't really feel like cooking tonight, plus he was craving fried pork rolls.

"Daddy!" Gen said. Then he whiffed the wonderful aroma of fried rice and vegetables and spicy tofu. Gen completely forgot about his nen test and jumped out of his chair towards his father. "Did you get spring rolls?" He asked, hopping in place.

"Did I?" Gon asked himself as he reached into the brown paper bags of the box. "I did! Here you are, but what do you say first?"

"Where's the soy sauce?"

"The other thing."

"Please and thank you!" Gen opened his hands towards Gon.

"At'a a boy." Gon said as he handed Gen the container of spring rolls chalk full of seaweed noodles, seasoned tofu, pickled carrots and cabbage wrapped in a flaky crust. Gon greeted his wife with a kiss, "Why don't we eat outside for dinner? It's not even humid and there is even a cool breeze."

"We can sit under the gazebo," Alluka suggested.

"I didn't see anyone there."

"Let's claim it before someone else does."

"Genius." Gon hurriedly carried the food out the apartment, while Alluka cleaned the kitchen table.

"Don't drop anything!" Alluka said, laughing. "Gen, take these plates and napkins and help daddy. You're in charge of protecting our dinner."

"Yessiree! You can count on me!" Gen saluted as he followed behind his father. "Don't drop anything!"

Alluka closed the LP paper box, wiped the table and grabbed utensils from the cabinet and a pitcher of lemonade. She left the apartment with a happy heart knowing her family was waiting for her down at the gazebo.

She didn't bother cleaning the materials off the table, like the glass of water from the nen experiment. She'll do that after dinner.

But she should have stayed. Actually, both Gen and Alluka should have waited longer to see what was about to unfold.

Suddenly, the surface water of the glass began to quiver, erratically. A bubble popped. Then another. The water began to fizzle rapidly. White foam formed at the surface. Breaking. Forming. Rupturing again. A chaotic mess. Droplets popped up from the water and splattered unto the ceiling and walls.

The bubbling finally ceased when the paper entirely dissolved in the glass. There was nothing left of the paper in the clear water. The water was motionless. It was still. It was quiet.

Gen was not a manipulator. He was not an enhancer. Nor was he an emitter or a conjurer or a transmuter.

He was something else entirely.

But whether that was good or bad or somewhere in between, was up to him to decide for himself. Even though, deep down in his heart; Gen already knew he was different.

The door creaked open as Gen staggered inside, almost tripping on his shoe laces on his search to pick up the soy sauce packets Gon left behind.

Gen propped his foot up on a chair and tied his shoe laces. He hummed along as he looped one bunny ear under the other and made a perfect Christmas bow.

He spotted the packets on the table, "daddy is so forgetful."

The faucet sink dripped with the sound echoing throughout the kitchen.

"Was daddy always this forgetful when you first met him at the World Tree?" Gen asked to the still air as he stuffed the packets in his pockets.

The faucet continued to drip as ripples of soapy water cascaded across the plates.

Gen burst into laughter, "What are you talking about? He still does that! You're so silly."

The faucet ceased dripping as Gen ran towards the door with pockets full of oriental condiments.

"I already told you not worry, I won't tell mommy or daddy about you. I'm really good at keeping secrets. I haven't even told Elodea." Gen giggled, "Yet. I think he would like really you."

Then he left the apartment, the last and only person inside of it.

* * *

Kostas and Elodea each held a bag of ingredients with them as they came upon a clearing at the marsh. The ground was muddy and there were bushels of plants sprouting up from the ground. Elodea saw in the distance a group of three people. Kostas was the first to speak, "Yo losers! I got the goods!"

One girl was sitting on a fallen tree trunk. She had long, blonde hair tied back in a ponytail while her skin was the color of pecans. She immediately stood up and yelled, "What took you so long? Do you know how long we've been waiting? The crabs are probably burrowed deep in the mud by now."

"That's not how you talk to someone who bought you the ingredients for the lemon-butter sauce!" Kostas barked.

"That's right!" Another boy said, with seaweed hued eyes. "He bought us a lemon!"

Kostas said, popping his collar, "We didn't buy just one damn lemon, but two damn lemons."

"YEAH!" They high-fived each other, joyously.

"Okay, guys, guys I mean it. No lemons for any of you if you don't listen to me." Kostas said as he gestured towards Elodea. "Let me introduce to you, Elodea Menfitz-"

The birl began to laugh, "Your name is 'elodea?' Like the water weeds? That's so lame."

"Cut it out Zo," the boy nudged his sister's elbow. "She means to say that it's a pretty name."

"Pretty lame."

"Yeah," Elodea said, his voice doused with conviction, "At one point, I thought it was lame too, but it's my name I grew up with. It couldn't have been that lame if my dad chose it."

"He has good taste," the boy said.

"Anyway," Kostas continued, "Elodea's from Diamond City, but he was born here on the Islands. So he's staying with my family for a while, getting to know his roots and stuff and he even knows Madrid. So he's cool. Elodea let me introduce you to my friends from school. Zooey, who was so RUDE before. But she lets us copy her homework so we keep her around."

"Hey!" Zooey retorted. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you Elodea. And if it weren't for me, they'd all flunk the eighth grade."

"This is Cia." Kostas said, "He's captain of the swimming team, Zooey's brother, and is basically the biggest flirt to walk the planet."

"That's not true." Cia's green eyes gazed at Elodea and shook his hand, diplomatically. "About me being captain of the swimming team. But if you need anyone to show you your roots in depth, don't be shy to ask me." He pulled Elodea closer. "I can even show you mine-" Cia didn't get to finish that sentence, given his lovely sister wacked him in the gut. The young gent bent over and wheezed through his nose, "I-I hope we can be friends."

"Last, but not least," Kostas said. "This is Petro. He's shy and doesn't say much, but he's the most reliable friend fools like us can ever have."

Petro sat on the fallen tree trunk, hunched over while carving a piece of wood with a knife. He simply nodded his head once towards Elodea and Elodea simply nodded back, once.

Now that everyone was introduced, it was time to go mud-crab hunting! They grabbed their buckets and rolled up their pants. While the others wore their bathing suits, Elodea was the only one wearing normal attire, such as his long-sleeved sweater.

Zooey said, "you can leave your sweater here, so it doesn't get all muddy."

"It's okay, I'm fine."

"Alright," Zooey said as she put down her bucket and walked past Elodea only to swiftly turn around and swipe the ends of his shirt upward. Half of his abdomen showed until Elodea yanked the ends down and heard her gasp, "Oh my god!"

Elodea's face turned a crimson red as they all stared at him. Oh no, they saw his scars. His red and puckered and horrible looking scars.

"what the," Kostas said as he slowly approached Elodea. Elodea immediately felt his insides curdling and thought they were going to call him a freak, but instead, Kostas said, "You have abs!? You're thirteen and you have abs!"

Elodea released the air from his lungs and felt a sense of ease, kind of. "I guess…"

"You practically have a six pack, man, I wish I had that."

Cia said, "Technically you do, but they are just not well defined."

"No lemons for you."

"But but but! Hear me out! Please...You're adorable." When Kosta only frowned, Cia shouted, "Elodea, put those away and stop making the rest of us feel so bad!"

Laughter ensued as Petro slightly lifted up his shirt, revealing abs of his own.

"Even Petro! I hate you guys." Kostas said as he poked his own belly, round and soft like a jellyfish head.

Soon after all the laughing, the hunt for mud crabs commenced! Kostas, an expert in almost everything, told Elodea how to compose oneself in the presence of a mud crab. You have to grab them by the claws, preferably from behind so they don't pounce up and nip at you. With the size of their huge claws, you definitely don't want that nipping at your toes.

Then they told him the difference between male and female crabs. Which was of the utmost importance. Since catching female crabs was deemed illegal throughout the islands due to the over fishing of the species. Despite the females having sweeter meat, it was best to leave them be and not be fined for committing a federal crime.

One way is to look at the claws, the females are usually smaller, but it's obvious when looking at the aprons. A male crab has a triangular shape apron, whilst a female has an oval shaped apron.

The group searched through the muddy and grey waters. Clouds of dirt kicked up behind their steps. Elodea heard the aura of several creatures. Fish, snails, sand hoppers, and crabs. He looked towards his right and heard its aura beneath a shrub of grass. "I found one." Elodea said. Kostas opened the bucket and placed leaves at the bottom of it.

Elodea grabbed the crab from behind and raised it up from the water.

"Look at the size of those nippers!" Kostas said. "But it is legal?" They looked at the underside of the crab, and saw the triangular apron.

They shouted, "Legal!" It was a male! But most importantly it was legal and not a crime!

Elodea had a knack for this or so he was told. One after another, he kept finding crabs in the murky grey waters and tossing them into the pale, white bucket. He already smelled the scent of a freshly grated lemon and heard his stomach grumble. They will be eating like royalty tonight.

"Legal!"

Elodea picked up another crab, but as he showed the underbelly to the others. They were struck with sheer panic. "It's female!" They shrieked.

"Put it back! Put it back!" Cia squeaked. "It's illegal!"

Even Petro had a distressed look on his face, but he simply crossed his arms in the shape of an x. They could not keep this crab. Elodea gestured to place it down near a bushel of grass.

"No! Not there!" Kostas gripped his hair and pointed back and forth, "Put it over there!"

"Here?" Elodea questioned, but suddenly the lady crab fought back. One of her claws yanked free and Elodea almost dropped her.

Cia sank down in the muddy water, "You're making it worse!"

They feared the worst. It was as if a police officer would pop out from behind a tree or bush or water lily with a frog still sitting soundly on it. The officer would blow his whistle and claim that these youngsters have committed the worst crime of the century. Then they be sent to Juvey for endless years and the only school that accepts delinquents is clown school, and there are no happy futures for clowns! Only sad futures for sad, opera clowns! These guys can't even sing so what kind of future is that!?

Elodea gently set the crab down on the muddy sea floor. It quickly skidded away leaving a cloud of grey dust behind it. Silenced ensued as everyone regained their composure.

"That," Kostas breathed, holding a hand to his heart. "That was close."

A seagull circled over them as they shuffled around the water.

"I think we have enough crabs."

Zooey, Elodea, Cia, and Petro all looked at each other, "agreed."

* * *

They built a fire by crumpling shreds of newspaper and lighting it with a match. Twigs and grass and bark were thrown into the scorching mixture. Elodea felt the warmth of the growing fire float near his skin as it cancelled out the cool ocean breeze.

They let the fire die out, only leaving hot coals on the ground for the crabs to roast on. The shell of the crabs turned from a royal blue to sun set red. Even the edges of the crabs scorched black, turning crispy and crunchy.

When it was time to make the butter sauce, Petro showcased his skills, marvelously. He diced the parsley and chili into micrometers of perfection with his knife. Sliding the morsels off the wooden cutting board with ease and slapping it into the butter on the pan. Then he squeezed the lemons with his bare hands as the juices trickled down onto the gold, succulent mixture.

The other's clapped at Petro's stupendous skills, both in awe and joy. When the sauce heated up over the coals and the crabs were left to cool, it was time to dig in.

Elodea broke open a claw with a rock and the white meat and juice practically flowed out from the massive shell. The others chuckled through bites and chews as they saw the look on Elodea's face. It was like night and day!

This was by far, the best crab he has ever eaten in his entire life. No chemicals or preservatives or GMOs. It was all natural and straight from the source, five feet away from where they ate. It was simply delicious and with the lemon butter sauce. It was utterly divine. Words failed Elodea as he savored the taste rolling off his tongue.

Suddenly, with a full mouth, Elodea felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned to his left and it was Petro. The boy with wavy copper hair was about to speak, probably for the first time of the day.

"Your name," Petro said to Elodea, quietly. "Is lyrical." Then he bit into the leg meat of the mud crab. Ending the conversation.

"Thanks," Elodea said, smiling. "So is yours. It translates to stone, but it means stability and strength. That's even more beautiful since it resonates deeply with you are." Elodea also wanted to say that this boy's aura was the most serene he has ever heard. It reflected his inner character and Kostas was right. Petro was someone you can completely trust and rely on.

And with Zooey's….Elodea just tuned hers out.

From ear to ear, Petro's face was the color of the roasted crabs. A spectacular shade of sunset red. He mumbled and bit into another morsel of meat while hiding his face behind the broken claw.

They splashed a bucket of water on the giant lump of hot coal. White steam rose as the water hit the heated surface. Scraps of empty shells laid about the sand. Seagulls began to fly towards them, watching carefully and already setting their sights on shells with hopes of scavenging for leftovers.

Cia through them a leg and the birds went bonkers. "Hey, let's go to the club house now." He said as he licked the buttery remnants off his fingers.

Kostas chimed, "That's right. Elodea has to see our clubhouse."

Elodea perked up, excited. He's always loved building little clubhouses when he was younger, out of sheets and blankets and chairs. There was even one time him and Killua constructed a tree house together for a family in NGL. Of course, Elodea got to play in it with the family's daughters. They had enchanting tea parties. "Oh, you guys have a treehouse?"

Then they all laughed, hysterically. Elodea lightly chuckled along with the joke he apparently made, which he didn't think was that all funny.

"No no no." Cia said, standing gallantly. "We don't have a tree house. We have something better than that."

A shack? A renovated shed? An attic or basement? Elodea wondered what was better than a tree house.

"Stand here my boy and be amazed," Cia gestured and Elodea followed. Then Cia pointed upwards and towards the spectacle on the hill.

Elodea gawked, "That's your clubhouse?"

The light perfectly cascaded off the mansion's decrepit stone carved walls, depicting gods and goddesses in epic duals. The platform of the balcony contained a fountain, even though it no longer worked, it was composed of several tiers and was as tall as the statues behind it. Then there was the spiral staircase that was wrapped with overgrowing vines and branches. Elodea's eyes followed the winding staircase down, as it disappeared amongst the canopy of endless trees which connected the mansion to the beach.

The group grabbed their belongings and headed towards the staircase. Elodea was speechless as Cia patted his back, smiling triumphantly. "That's our clubhouse."

* * *

 **HEY-O! Thank you so much for reading this chapter! *high fives***

 **If there is one thing you got out of this chapter, I hope you learned how to tell the difference between male and female crabs! You never know when these measly facts can become handy for conversation starters during awkward family dinners! Strut your knowledge and be smarty pants LOL Okay, but seriously, Elodea has arrived in Kukan'yu and he's making friends (yay) and bonding over lemons (yay again!) This was more of a relaxed chapter with bits of fun with the introduction of new characters! The next chapters will be far from relaxed LOL**

 **Plus the few hints I threw of Gen *cough* I hope I'm not making it too obvious *cough* if you know who his friend is, don't be afraid to shout it out XD**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter XD Tell me what you thought pretty please!**

 **Thank you so much for everyone who faved, followed and reviewed! And I hope you guys are having an awesome summer too! Have fun at the beach and please wear sunscreen! (protect yourselves!) Or just chill, chilling is good.**

 **See you guys next time! Bye!**


	35. Chapter 31: An x Unexpected x Call

**Chapter 31: An x Unexpected x Call**

"Wait," Elodea said, as he stepped over uplifted roots. The group was making their way to the mansion on top of the hill. Which was supposedly their glorious hideaway and clubhouse, but Elodea had more questions that needed to be answered. "Can you tell me one more time about how you guys found this 'clubhouse' of yours. How are you guys even allowed in there? I'm confused."

Cia spoke, tired. "Questions. Questions. Questions. All you have is questions. Geeze. When someone hands you a dollar are you going to ask them why or just take it."

"Nothing is for free. Not even money."

Cia rubbed his temples, "now I'm confused."

"Ahem," Kostas coughed, "I am happy to explain more in further detail."

"At least do it quietly." Cia said. "I have a migraine."

"As you know, each region of the islands has a council of delegates, but before we became a state of Kukan'yu Kingdom, the islands were rules by several families of aristocratic status. I forgot how many known families ruled here in the north, but I believe it was twenty-six."

"No, it was seven," Zooey remarked.

"Could have been eight." Cia mumbled.

Petro held up nine of his fingers, silently.

"Whatever." Kostas continued, waving them away. "The number of families didn't really matter, because it was usually just one family that called all the shots in their region. And that big shot family that made all the decisions in the north was the Sierren Family."

"So, this home used to belong to the Sierren's?" Elodea said, but more importantly. This home used to belong to Madrid. Madrid Sierren, the fallen princess now relentless crime hunter and delegate to the northern islands.

"Exactly," Kostas said.

"Then what happened to all the other Families? They don't still live here, do they?"

"Well, lots of them went into hiding because a bunch of people hated them, not just the rebels. My dad said a lot of them left the islands with their riches and live in the neighboring kingdom, since they couldn't show their faces here anymore. Others were…ugh….y'know."

Elodea quirked up an eyebrow, slightly confused. It was only until Petro crossed a hand over his throat and croaked a defeated sound. Realization overslept Elodea, "That's horrible."

"Well, yeah, the rebels barged into their homes with their weapons in hand, and told them if they didn't leave by morning, they'd all die. Some listened and others didn't. Even though they said that to everyone, not just the Families."

"But it really is miraculous that Madrid survived."

"It is, but it's honestly a mystery how she actually did. I know that before the whole uprising and family massacre, Madrid could talk."

Elodea's jaw dropped, "seriously?" He remembered the first-time meeting Madrid at the hunter exam, who communicated with him using only sign language. He has never heard Madrid's voice before, but if there was a time in which she could actually speak, then what happened to make her lose her voice? "Was it post-trauma?"

"Probably." Then Kostas smiled, brightly. "But I'm happy she's back. I can tell from the way people speak of her in town square, in the council on TV, and even from my parents. She was really loved, then and now. Even though all this chaos happened before we were born and the effects are still lingering. The Islands are a better place now, and I think she made that happen."

Cia whispered into Elodea's ear, smirking. "Kostas also has a crush on her, but he refuses to admit it." Elodea nodded.

"I do not!" Kostas barked, a blush caressing his face from ear to ear. "I-I just respect her, that's all! She's done a lot of good since she came back here! She made the rebels go away, taxes were lowered, healthcare became more affordable AND-"

Cia stuck his hand out in front of him, clicking the air with his finger like a remote, "I pressed the wrong button. How do I turn this off?" He said, referring to a flabbergasted Kostas.

"This is better than educational television," Elodea said. "I'm learning a lottle."

"What's a lottle?" Cia asked, curious.

"It's like a little, but a lot."

Cia burst out laughing. "I'm going to start using that. Hey, Kostas. You like Madrid a lottle, don't you?"

Kostas ran up the spiral staircase, maneuvering past overgrown vines and weeds. He jumped two steps at a time. He yelled, angrily, "I'm going to eat all of your snacks."

Cia gasped, outraged. "Leave my Cinnamon nuggets alone you fiend!"

"Especially the cinnamon nuggets!"

"I was saving those for later! Ugh! Don't you dare touch them!" Cia barked then turned to Elodea, calmly. "I'm sorry Elodea, but please excuse me for I have to go take care of some business."

"Good luck." Elodea have him a thumb's up and off Cia went. Charging after the snack thief.

Elodea walked the rest of the staircase with his hand on the rail. Feeling the course texture, granules of chipped stone, underneath this skin. He saw patches of green mold grow on the surfaces, scattered on the rails and stairs. When he reached the top of the stairs at the balcony, he eyed the fountain. It was composed of several tiers, with a small carved figure sitting at the top. It was pouring water from its pitcher, but now it was cracked and dry and barren. That jar must not have seen water for about a decade. Elodea quirked his head to the side.

As Elodea circled the stone fountain, he saw what confirmed his suspicions. He frowned as he ran his fingers over the unnatural grooves in the stone, over the small and puckered bullet holes. Most were covered by the growing weeds and mildew, out of sight. While others were plain and completely exposed for the world to see.

The balcony doors were open as he heard the clamor from within. Over a boy stealing hordes of snacks and another chastising him for it. Several windows were broken, shards scattered on the ground and some still sitting in its frames.

The rooms were mainly barren, but on the walls laid silhouettes of furniture that was once there. Cabinets and chairs and picture frames whose dull outlines pigmented the wall. There was a piano in the corner of the ball room standing only on one leg. The hood was open, wood splintering. It was covered in dust with dozens of frayed copper lines dangling off the edges.

Dust flittered in the air as it was caught dancing in the light basking from the windows.

Elodea looked down as a loud crack was heard beneath his shoe. He stepped on a piece of glass, now shattered in his step.

The Sierren mansion was once filled with an endless stream of guests and visitors, basking in the splendor of parties and indulgences hosted by the family. All the rooms were artistically crafted to appease the current, crazed style of the time. Cushions were made of fine cloth and artwork, such as tapestries with rubies and sapphires sewn in-between the seams decorating the walls. Embroidery was even weaved with gold thread. The hems of dresses were adorned with silver coins, showing casing the family's wealth.

Only hooks and tattered pieces of cloth dangled from the walls. The gems were ripped and torn out of the tapestries, the vases and furniture were sold for the purchase and trade of vile goods. The mansion was pillaged and there was nothing valuable left. There was only the plain, white sheets covering simple wooden chairs and plastic tables. They barely filled up the room and only made it look bigger and empty in comparison.

With the click of his heels, Elodea's footsteps echoed off the walls. He passed through a hallway, whose walls were scratched and clawed and wondered the history and tragic story they told. Once upon a time, people were born, lived, and most definitely, died here.

He passed by another room, with a door made of polished wood. In the center of the door was a latch and a small hatch to open. The metal latch squeaked as Elodea opened it.

It was not a peep hole or anything, but a letter box to send calling cards. Back then, if someone cared to pay a visit to a member of the household, sending a calling card was in order. If the head of the house was busy and not to be interrupted, the sender would follow the rules of diplomacy, knock on the door and leave the calling card in the box. And hopefully, the recipient of the letter would respond in the following hours or days. Or not at all. The caller was at the recipient's mercy, but most of the cards were answered within the hour, or shredded out the window.

Elodea opened the door to see Cia and Kostas sitting on bean bags while happily sharing the cinnamon nuggets, air puffed rice balls coated with brown sugar, with each other. Sharing is caring afterall.

The room was fairly large, but the group only used a fraction of it. Imbedded in the walls were book shelves. They most likely contained books full of knowledge, but now there were only nick-nacks suck as rocks and shells and capsule toys. But there were two toys that stood out from the others.

The two stuffed bears sat next to one another, with luxurious ribbons tied around their necks. Even though one of their button eyes popped out, the stuffed toys were of high quality. Zooey caught Elodea's gaze and spoke.

"Like all the other abandoned mansions, the escaped families took their money with them or the rebels stole it. When we first found the place, we tried to see if they left anything important behind or just forgotten, like coins or dresses or heirlooms. Sadly, the place was wiped clean, even the steel safes were completely empty."

Elodea held the teddy bear with the pink ribbon in his hands, gently. It was soft to touch and the faux fur brushed smoothly against his fingers. There was marks protruding from behind the ribbon, when he turned over it over to read the inscription, his eyes widened, momentarily. But the others didn't notice.

"Even though the Sierren's were loaded with dough, we've only found these two guys hidden beneath a floor board in one of the upstairs rooms. They're matching teddy bears pairs and must have belonged to one of the children. The bears names are Thalassa and Puntos. Aren't they cute?"

Elodea held the bear in his hands and smiled, sadly. "Yeah…they are."

"Here," Zooey opened up a drawer from the desk, which revealed a bowl of hard candy in colorful wrappers. "Have one."

"Thanks." Elodea picked up a striped white and lime green wrapped candy. The glistening green shell of the sweet shined as he unwrapped it, then plopped it into his mouth. The sugar began to melt and left his mouth tingling, sweetly.

Suddenly, Elodea's mouth began to wrinkle as his eye left twitched, unpleasantly. He slowly turned to Zooey. The candy was bitter and rancid and downright vile. "W-what flavor candy is this?"

"Hmm, I don't know. These were in the drawer when we first found them a year ago. They probably have been there longer too, so they could be any flavor really."

No sooner did Elodea spit out the candy back into the wrapper and toss it out the opened window.

"Didn't your mom ever teach you to never waste food."

"I missed out on that lesson." Elodea coughed, with that horrible after taste settling on his tongue. "Why don't you have one?"

"No way, those things are gross."

 _Then why did you offer one to me!?_ Elodea thought as he was seething with anger as he lapped at a bottle of water. The candy tasted like a bitter herb boiled in lemon juice.

Cia interrupted, "Cut the chatter and pick up a platter. You guys should be more like Petro, look how calm he is amongst all this racket." He was right, Petro leaned back against the recliner chair as he stared up at the ceiling, thinking of nothing in particular.

"You do know that he's plotting world domination, right?" Elodea said as he sipped the remaining drops of water from his bottle. Just then, Petro folded his hands over his chest and smirked, deviously. Right then and there, Elodea thought Petro looked like the Great Don Corleone from the Godfather or maybe as cunning and malicious as the Corleone heir, Michael. Except he didn't have the droopy eyelid and runny nose, but Petro was better off without them. "He's going to succeed."

"I knew it." Cia exclaimed, "I always knew it. You always have to watch out for the quiet ones." Not wanting to be accused and burned on the stake like a witch for figuring out his true intentions, Petro opened up a drawer and lifted a strange and peculiar device onto the table.

It was a phone, or it at least looked like one with a circular dial and two protruding pieces. One for speaking and the other for listening.

"Are we going to be doing that now?" Kostas asked.

"Do what?" said Elodea.

Kostas then explained the device and what it was used for. Basically, it was an emergency telephone for the servants or family to use in case there was a blackout or they needed to get help quickly and there was no other way to do so. The battery of the phone is manually operated with a crank on the side to turn in order for it to turn on. And the calls go through. Since back then and even now.

But instead of making emergency phone calls, the group just uses it to make prank calls. Elodea already felt like he was closer to them than ever before.

Usually they just pick a random phone number from the phone book, so they handed Elodea the book and gave him the honor of dialing in the lucky number. Instead of picking one from those yellow pages, Elodea picked one from his head. And it was a good one.

Kostas cranked the knob forward as the phone buzzed. Finally, the receiver picked up. His voice was a little husky and tired, considering he just saw several patients in a row during his shift at the hospital. It was Leorio Paladiknight, M.D.

"Hello, who is this?" Leorio asked, skeptically. Considering there was no caller I.D. to work off from.

Cia lowered his voice as he spoke, "Good day sir, my team and I would just to like to inform you that we will be fixing the cable polls in the neighborhood. So, don't be alarmed from any disturbances that may occur, that's just us working."

"Okay, but will I still be able to watch _Wilburton's Shopping Network_ on the public access channel during the eight o'clock time slot?"

Elodea held a hand over his mouth to hold back his laughter. While Cia put down the mouth piece to steady himself. The metal briefly clunked against the wooden desk as he ran a hand over his eyes, then back again. "No, you're going to lose that channel."

"What if I record it?"

"I'd suggest watching a different show. Like _Cake Wars_."

"Oh…"

"Now, like I said. Don't be alarmed if you hear any minuscule noises that's just us working. We'll try to be as quiet as possible-" Petro immediately brought his phone to the mouthpiece and played intense thunder and lightning white noise. Then Zooey conveniently, and dramatically, screamed a high note, which sent Leorio into sheer panic.

"What's going on!? Are you okay!?" Leorio asked, practically holding the phone in his mouth.

"Ugh, my leeeeeeg." Cia whined from a distance as another round of thunder and wild static began to play. "Listen t-to me, please."

"Hey! Tell me what's going on! I can help you, I'm a doctor!"

"I—I can't go on. T-Tell Susan that I forgive her."

"I don't know who that is!? Stay with me then tell her yourself!"

"I-I can't," Cia feigned a dry cough. "Not since after the buffalo derby in '95 impersonating the rodeo clown. I already had a hard time forgiving myself after everything that's happened..." Excellently improvised sobbing occurred, curtesy of Cia's amazing method acting skills.

"Between you and Susan?" Leorio gravely asked, already heavily invested in this tall tale.

"No, me and the buffalo." Cia chirped, matter of fact.

"You don't have to tell me about your strange double life, but I'll call an ambulance and-

Thunder began to boom louder and louder, "No, not another round of it, please, I already lost the use of both my arms."

"Hang in there!" Leorio yelled.

One final bang then silence ensued on the other line as the kids held in their laughter thinking how stupid this man was for believing their act. Then the phone was handed to Zooey as she said in a high and extremely chipper operating voice. "We are sorry for the delay. We'll dispatch another team of operators to tend to your neighborhood cable polls. Please don't mind the body bags or smell of scorched flesh outside. Have a super, terrific day."

Then they hung up the phone. And started hysterically laughing.

"Elodea, who was that guy?" Kostas asked, wiping a single tear from his eye.

"That's my uncle Leorio." Leorio used to be the go to person when Elodea first started making prank calls. He used the classic prompts, such as _is your refrigerator running_ to _hello user, I am siri and I am trapped within your phone, press one for more options_. The usual gist, but then Elodea stopped when Leorio figured out it was him, even without caller I.D.

"Wow, he was the first guy we'd ever call to actually care and offer help to us," Cia nodded. "What a nice guy."

Somewhere, in some building, in some office. There is a doctor. Who is extremely dumfounded. His name is Leorio. Leorio Paladiknight, M.D. Hunter extraordinaire. Although, he was still able to watch _Wilburton's Shopping Network_ during the eight o'clock time slot on the public access channel, but with an aching heart. He even had to momentarily change the channel when a rhinestone bedazzled buffalo bust was auctioned off at half price. It was hideous, yet glorious. Because one person's trash is another's treasure!

Elodea thought that he should probably call Leorio later and tell him it was just a prank, later though. Until he does, the group decided to venture upstairs, but Elodea stayed behind with the old fashioned phone contraption.

His fingers hesitated over the metal dials as he slowly brought the cold mouth piece to his face. Holding it in-between his shoulder and cheek.

He dialed the numbers with one hand, while cranking the lever with the other. He was surprised to hear it actually dial on the other end, finally, his eyes widened slightly when the recipient answered.

"Look, I'm not interested in your magazine's subscriptions or whatever you're selling. Stop calling. I have no money-"

"Dad," Elodea narrowed his eyes, "It's me."

"Elodea," Killua breathed, readjusting the phone in his hands. He was just about to hang up on his son, rather rudely. "Where are you calling from? I didn't recognize the number."

"I'm using a friend's phone. It's kind of old." At least by half a century. "Who were you talking to before me?"

"Just some persistent sale's caller. They'd tried selling me a pack of four fire extinguishers and another pack of seven down feather blankets. They were trying to scam me, I could feel it."

"How dare they."

"I mean, I like buying in bulk, but that's absurd."

"And our fire extinguishers are working perfectly. You'd practically use them every other day."

Killua paused, "…Thanks Elodea."

"So what if you char the chicken to a crisp."

"Alright, I get your point."

"As long as you scrap off all the black stuff, it's perfectly edible."

"Please stop."

Elodea continued to crank the lever clockwise. Its gears glided not so smoothly, almost like sliding over sand paper. "Thanks for picking up."

Killua smiled a genuine smile, but it was nothing that Elodea could see. "So, you're using a friend's phone. You must be adjusting well there."

"Yeah, everyone's been really nice to me so far. Just before, I went mud crab hunting with a group of kids."

"Ah, how much did you catch?"

"A lot actually. Seagulls were even swarming the beach around us." Elodea giggled. Then his voice softened, "Before Madrid and I left on the ferry, I've met them. I've met the people you've told in your story, Yanny and Illena. It's nice putting a face to a name. It makes them all the more real."

Killua's voice perked up, "They're alive?"

Elodea laughed again, "Yes dad, they are very much alive and they even asked for you. You left a really good impression on them."

"Why does it sound like you are implying otherwise?"

"They kept calling you a hero."

A hitched breath was heard over the line. "It was just my job."

Elodea continued to crank the lever on the wooden box, "No, I don't think it was." It never does state on a hunter license, nor is it hidden behind the giant red x's or tiny black font of the card that the bearer is required to care. Especially about the welfare of others. It was never a requirement to do good while being a hunter. Sure, it was a perk with a lot of merits, but that was it.

Although, caring is a choice among the very few. Among those very few hunters that care, they get a lot done. Their numbers may not be in the thousands or hundreds, but they do a lot of good.

Elodea began to speak, softly. "Everywhere I look, there are water weeds. Ever beach, every shore, floating near ever boat. So many fishing boats use water weeds as bait-Sorry, I mean, _elodeas_ , that's what they call them. It's kind of weird hearing my name used that way. Like _there's elodea in the boat's propeller, no I'm right here_. It's cool though." He laughed once.

"It just goes to show you how important they are there."

"Yeah."

"It goes to show you how important you are to me."

"Dad."

"Do you have time to tell me everything that's happened since you've arrived? I want to listen."

Suddenly a voice echoed past the walls, calling for Elodea to join them. "Um, not right now. But I will definitely call later and tell you everything."

Killua smiled a sad smile, but it was nothing Elodea could see, "That's fine, but make sure to not miss one detail when you call back. I want to hear everything."

"Got it, I'll bore you with every fact I know."

"Now we're talking."

"I'll tell you a lottle of everything."

"A lottle?"

"It's a lot, but a little."

Killua laughed, "Well, I look forward to hearing a lottle from you. Just don't forget to call me."

"I gotta go now, bye dad." Elodea said, hurriedly.

"Bye Elodea, I love you-

The only response that met Killua's ear was an endless static. Signaling that the call ended, but worst of all. It separated him from his boy. They were separated by an entire ocean. Killua set down his cellphone into his pocket and stood up from his chair, taking his time. He rested his hands on his knees and pushed.

Killua breathed as he stood in place. Staring ahead of him were several laborious options. He stared at the hallway he has to walk down or the staircase he has to walk up or the couch he can rest easy on.

He wondered if this was what awaited him in the far-off future. Insignificant choices that one barely thinks about to ones that suddenly become significant and will be all he ever thinks about.

The hallway, the stairs, or the couch.

The hallway was long and narrow. The stairs presented a difficult incline to conquer, but the couch. The couch was just right. It was in front of him, beckoning him to lie lazily on its plush cushions.

As Killua took his time, walking towards the hallway, a sharp pain rose up through his leg and sent him making a sharp ninety-degree change in his direction.

He plopped down on the couch with his legs rested on the cushions. As a haze of boredom spread throughout the room and into his mind, he turned on the television and listened to the news. A news reporter stood in front of a nightclub that recently reopened after a devastating murder whose act went unnoticed by many bystanders. The killer of the Madeline Nojoff case has yet to be solved. Even the family is growing restless day by day as zero progress has been made towards apprehending the monster who may still be lurking in the gutters of Diamond City.

Investigators thought they caught the man who committed the act, it was one of Madeline's previous boyfriends who happened to be in the club at the time. But the man was released since he had a very convincing alibi. He said that Madeline broke a thousand hearts just for fun and he forgot all about her when he met a florist in the downtown area of the city shortly after their devastating (merely one-sided on his side) breakup. Every day, he gave his new sweetheart a red rose. According to the hipster generation language of flowers, that means he's utterly and hopelessly in love. There was even no bitterness against Madeline when he spoke of her.

Also, considering his lack of upper body strength and that his right hand was bitten off by an alligator, there was no way he could have easily pierced the back of Madeline's skull with a sharp tool, micrometers in width. Especially going unnoticed in a crowd of people.

The killer had to be swift, skillful, and with a planned agenda.

The television screen into a blurred mess. The reporter's body morphed into giant lines as colors of red, blue, and green crossed the screen. Killua changed the channel once then back again. Finally, the screen cleared.

Killua's phone began to ring and as he eyed the caller I.D., his blood began to boil as he accepted the call, trying to keep his voice stoic as possible. "You slipped up when you left the mark on the corpse."

"How else was I supposed to get your attention?" Illumi said.

"Didn't father teach you to cover up your mistakes?"

"Not unless they are supposed to be seen, you know that as well as I. But it thrills me in the best way that you do actually remember your lessons. You may not be a lost cause after all."

"End this madness," Killua growled. "I have no intention of returning to the family. I warn you. If you drag me back there, you will have hell to pay."

"You make me out to be a black hole sucking out all the light around me."

"Great, you already know what you are."

"Kil," Illumi said, "You're making a grave mistake. As the eldest brother, I'm doing everything in my power to help you and set things right. I do more good for you than you will ever know."

"What do you know of good? Last time I checked you tried to kill my son."

"Are you still hung up over that?" Illumi felt Killua's seething anger over the phone. He slightly reminisced over the time when he first saw his nephew who was a toddler at the time. Illumi should have squashed him like a bug when he had the chance. Oh well, one cannot dwell on a missed opportunity, or else they will miss the ones hurdling towards them. Illumi smirked, "That was all in the past, I'm sure he has grown up to be a fine, young boy. Unless he hasn't? Considering he was raised by you, a pathological liar. What is he to become if the only thing you feed him are lies?"

Killua gripped the phone in his hand, tight. Preventing himself from chucking it across the room. "This doesn't concern you. Everything I do is for him. Protecting him from monsters like you."

"Why not? He is my nephew. I would think I have a right to know." Illumi scoffed a laugh. "You say you love him, but not enough to tell him the truth? Is that correct?"

"Your _love_ was suffocating and drove me to run away from home when I was twelve years old."

"Emotions have you horribly impaired. Everything I did was for you to take over the family trade. It was father's and mother's orders. Please, all the training you went through, I went through and so did father and grandfather and so on. In fact, you probably went through less of what they did combined. You shouldn't be complaining and running away. It's a shame that horrible trait still clings to you today." Illumi huffed.

"My greatest accomplishment in life was breaking away those chains that you shackled to my wrists."

"At least I didn't break tradition." Illumi growled, "Then how does that freedom taste? Savor it now, for its fleeting like everything else in life."

"You're delusional as you are deranged thinking I'd happily comply."

"Only a lottle, I'm afraid."

Killua's voice froze as his eyes became dark and glassy. He gnarled from his gut, deep, "What did you just say?"

"Oh, you mean 'a lottle?' It's just a phrase I've been hearing all the kids saying nowadays. Doesn't that make me a cool uncle?"

Killua's breath became ragged as the knuckles in his free hand began to crack, one by one, out of instinct and rage. How could he have been so stupid. He let his son roam the streets with a killer. "How long have you've been seeing Elodea?"

"What? You mean he hasn't told you about his only friend?" A laugh ensued, "He must not trust you as I thought he did."

"You've been feeding poison to his mind!" Killua barked.

"Oh, Kil," Illumi laughed, menacingly. "You've misunderstood and twisted this whole situation around. It's been you that's been feeding Elodea's mind poison, not me."

"Stay away from my family. Stay away from my son. The next time we meet, I will silence the beating of your heart in the palm of my hand. That's a promise."

"I of all people should know that you never go back on a promise, but may I ask you another question? Will you tell Elodea more lies or tell him the truth? Doesn't he need to know the truth? About your past, specifically. You're the sole reason he hates himself-"

Just then Killua slammed the phone unto the coffee table. The legs of the table broke and splintered into numerous pieces, flying across the room. Killua rose up from the couch and didn't mind the pain searing through his legs. He made his way to Elodea's room, hurriedly.

He opened cabinets and drawers and closets in a haste while searching for all the clues that slipped under his nose. It occurred to him as he made his way to Elodea's book shelf, sprawled with music scores with too many handwritten notes.

The piano lessons and that customer who always buys hideous furniture. Killua opened up Elodea's log book he used while working at the antique shop with Wilburton.

He flipped through the pages, fast.

Sweat trickled down his brow as he flipped from one page to the next with a single name written underneath each piano lesson, _Illumi._

Again.

Again.

Again!

His brother's ghastly name was written on the pages in neat and cursive writing.

Killua wanted to pace, he wanted to let his anxiety roam about, but instead he slowly sank down onto Elodea's bed as the log book loosened from his grip.

The pages fluttered through the air, then stopped when it met the ground. A deafening sound to his ears.

Killua stared down at the ground, pathetically.

After everything he's done to keep the monster away. He changed his name. He lied. He made impulsive moves from one town to city to the other in the hopes of keeping his son safe.

And for a while, he thought it did some good.

But the lies only made things worse and his past was creeping up from behind, slowly but surely it will reveal itself in time. Elodea will find out. And hate his father more.

He ran a shaky hand through his hair.

Killua was blind to everything in front of him. He was paranoid. He was unbearably paranoid of the truth unfolding in front of him and his son, so he pushed it off and ignored it as best as he could. Hoping it would fade out of sight, and mostly out of his life. That's why lies became comforting, hard as they were to tell, it was an easier road to travel down.

But because of his cowardice and selfish moves, he let his son dance with the devil.

The truth will either set you free, or shackle you to earth with its chains you dreadfully fear.

For Killua, it was both.

* * *

Illumi limped through the barren wasteland of the east side of the Zoldyck manor, bitterly.

His chat with his younger, and considerably, stupid brother has left him to rot and wander aimlessly in a disorienting haze of repugnancy. He sneered at the sun that dared shine light on this beautiful evening.

He raised a hand to his temple and sighed, while he shifted all his weight onto his cane. What was his life coming to?

It would be so much easier if his life was planned out, orderly and neatly and perfectly on tract. With no bumps or blemishes or imperfections. Of course, that's the ideal, but Illumi tried to keep it that way. Through one disastrous mistake after another. Now that he thought of it, Killua was the sole root of his problems.

If it wasn't for Killua, he'd wouldn't be paranoid. If it wasn't for his inconsiderate brother, he wouldn't be crippled. If his brother was never even born, he'd be—

Illumi breathed in and out, once. Releasing those vile thoughts from his mind. That was not the way to think. It was best to focus on the present and fix it, accordingly.

Why couldn't Killua simply follow the rules and tradition? That wasn't so hard to do. Why couldn't Killua stop making one mistake after the other? Was it simply in his nature to defy everyone around him?

A beaten path laid somberly beneath his feet as he walked past old and decayed branches. An archway of black and brown tendrils opened in front of him, that lead straight to what the Zoldyck's infrequently called _The Field of Remembrance_. Which people rarely remember to visit.

Illumi walked over the dirt path that weaved aimlessly in all directions from one grey stone to another.

He did not care for the names written on the pathetic pieces of slabs sticking up from the ground, an unsightly eye sore.

 _The Field of Remembrance_ was probably the most quiet and serene place in all the Zoldyck manor. The personals that do venture this far onto the manor do only a few things.

They reflect. They kneel. They pray and leave flowers.

This was the Zoldyck Morgue where servants and staff are buried when their time on earth or contract with the Zoldycks has reached its expiration date. Which are usually the same.

Of course, it was disgraceful to bury the servants alongside the masters of the home. As such, the graves were thoroughly segregated from the other to keep order in check.

Illumi passed many tomb stones of servant names he cared not for. One was a chef that always cooked his least favorite vegetables when he was a kid, Illumi thought there was a conspiracy against him going on behind those dreaded kitchen doors. Another stone was of his first nanny when growing up.

How annoying she was. She always pestered him to clean after his messes and act properly and especially, to play nicely with his brothers.

How burdensome.

He knocked his cane against her tomb stone, once, as he passed by and thought how glad he was that his dear nanny was now pushing up ugly dandelions.

Then he saw a relentless weed protruding from the beaten ground it has grown upon. It's bright yellow petals stood up from the dull, brown dirt. While its green leaves spiraled out in all directions.

It would definitely grow big and tall and strong if left untainted and untouched. Surely, it would.

If only it wasn't under his foot, yes it would grow fine if it wasn't squashed underneath his leather and thick soled shoe.

He walked along to his own rhythm as the weed hunched over broken and dead on the ground. Do not blame the man, his legs are terribly weak and he is growing old, he could not alter his trajectory from stepping on the flower, not even by a mere ten degrees.

There was nothing left to be done as the petals stuck to his heel.

Finally, he stopped. Sneering scornfully on the tomb stone in front of him. Then he looked to his right and his left and saw other displays of adorned offerings of flowers and candies left at the pedestals at those tomb stones. The flowers wilted and curled and crumpled while the candies attracted colonies of red ants.

While the stone in front of him was without any pleasant gifts.

Illumi's eyes casually drifted to the bottom of his shoe.

He scraped his heel against the stone's pedestal. Tattered scraps of petals clung to the cold and grey rock. They fell off, pitifully.

There. He presented his humble offering.

Illumi gripped his cane, constricting his knuckles until they turned white as the pebbles scattered on the ground. He gazed upon the stone and read the name of the occupant to himself over and over, scornfully.

" _Oswald 'Oz' Temple"_

The rays of the sun creeped along the edge of the horizon, casting Illumi's mangy and gloomy shadow unto the grave. In all sincerity, Illumi knew he was a hypocrite and by all means did not elevate himself by condemning all of Killua's mistakes.

He should have known, since he was standing in front of his first mistake, forever written in stone.

* * *

 **Hi! Thank you so very very VERY MUCH FOR READING!**

 **YUP! Secrets were found out and others are slowly being introduced! Gotta work on the villain's (tragic, kind of not really?) backstory XD Did you guys like this chapter? I really hope you did T.T Or maybe if you have questions, I'm more than happy to answer! Also, sorry for spamming too many chapters in such a short time! I'll try to space things out better! OSU!**

 **I hope your summer is going great! Also! Here is a question from me to you XD What's your favorite HXH character song?! Mine is 'The Song of Promise' with Killua, gon, hisoka, and chrollo." XDDD It's so pretty XDDD**

 **Thank you for reading and Bye! XOXO**


	36. Chapter 32: A x Silent x Voice

**Hi guys! *high fives y'all***

 **I'm so sorry for this really late update! Midterms haven't ended yet and a lot is going on. But I really felt like updating! I couldn't wait, and I even wanted to post another Halloween special, but I haven't gotten time to write anything else this semester *sigh* I just had this chapter in stock from way back in the summer, and with a bit of revision, I think it's good to go! XD And this chapter has a bit of spooky vibes so that qualifies for Halloween spirit, right XD It also focuses on Madrid! (yay!) and her (tragic) story!**

 **I hope you enjoy the chapter! Happy reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32: A x Silent x Voice**

Elodea made his way up a staircase that was cloaked with debris. His hand came back from the railing, caked in dirt. He wiped the palm of his hand on his shorts and proceeded to follow the others.

They brought Elodea to their favorite room with the balcony that overlooked the ocean. He looked down and even noticed the uplifted floorboard where the two stuffed bears were stowed away then found about a decade later.

As the balcony doors were pulled open, a gust of wind over swept the room. The white sheets carried along with its current. Flapping out its creases and bumps flying across the room. Petro fumbled with a sheet as he tried to clumsily shake it out and place it back on the couch. But the fierce wind only tangled him and the sheet; covering his form and made him look like a ghost.

Only to be defeated by the fearsome foe, Petro puffed his cheeks and wrapped the sheet into a giant disheveled ball and tossed it on the ground. Then kicked it under the bed with a brush of his foot. It will not bother him anymore.

Pushed by a great force of wind, one of the doors slammed into the wall. Its knob jutted into the already butchered wall.

One some days, the wind was gentle enough and cooled their brows after long days spent baking under the sun. On the other days, which seemed like the majority, the wind was strong, and maybe, eager enough to whisk them off the ground and cradle them in the air above. Preferably, several feet above.

They rushed to the edge, clinging themselves against the stone railing. They closed their eyes tight as wind swatted against their faces, but they dared to open them to see the sparkling waters of Kukan'yu below.

The thrum of the waves bellowed all the way to the balcony and even beyond to the ends of the sky. But in receiving its calls, they bellowed back with every breath in their lungs. Even with all their breaths combined against the waves beating mercilessly down unto the shore and the ocean with all its currents spiraling deep below. Their voices were muted and dulled and could not stand high enough to compete with such glorious sounds.

But they were very persistent on beating the waves. That's how kids are. In their relentless plea, it seemed as through the ocean listened and for a second calmed. Letting their voices reach high and to the ends of the sky. It was only for a second when it commenced again, mist and waves thrashed unto the sand. Reclaiming its almighty glory.

Elodea huddled his hands towards his chest in an attempt to warm them as they were chilled to the bone while his nails started to turn purple, and maybe even light blue. He rubbed and squeezed his hands, staring off into the waters ahead, where the ends of the ocean blended with the beginnings of the sky.

He held his hands against the railing, and thought that these waters have seen everything. They saw the world start, they saw it roll and tumble with people of all kinds settling in all kinds of places, they witnessed the end of wicked government politics sitting on its shores, and witnessed a young girl's tragic, yet courageous life.

Once upon a time, there was a girl with cerulean blue hair who stood every morning on this balcony. Basking in the beauty of the ocean she's known since the beginning of her days. Before she could walk, she knew how to float and swim and dive head first off the cove. Before she could sing, she knew how to hold and salvage her breath underwater for minutes at a time. Before she could notice the struggle and devastation and hunger of others around her, she opened her eyes wide in those salty waters and saw the vast life surrounding her with such pristine clarity.

Her name was Madrid Sierren. She was fourteen years old when her life, built from the sweat and labor of others, ended. When her brothers took bullets to their bodies and a slick knife to her father's neck. She was fourteen years old when pearls were torn from her mother's gown and lost her voice when she was all alone drifting for days in those very waters she grew up in. She was fourteen years old when the rebels took everything from her. Kukan'yu was her home, it was her everything.

It still is.

* * *

 _Madrid smoothed out the creases in her skirt as it pulled her towards the ground. This monstrous thing was heavy and incredibly unbearable. Whose idea was it to sew gold and silver coins at the hem of dresses and skirts and sleeves. It was a horrible idea!_

 _She couldn't walk five steps without jingling madly no matter how quiet and graceful her steps were. But mother, Sofia Sierren, said likewise. Coins were extravagant and dazzling and it was wrong for them to be stored away in safes and vaults where no one can see them._

 _So, it was best to adorn them on your hands and feet, gown and accessories, where one can truly marvel at its enticement._

 _Madrid felt like she was sinking into the ground as the maid sewn yet another coin at the bottom of her skirt. "I think that's enough, don't you?"_

 _The maid, Celeste, turned towards the Mistress of the house, waiting for her response rather than Madrid's. She gulped, dryly._

 _Sophia walked forward in her white summer gown that was light and airy. It allowed her to flow with ease and glide across the marble floor in the ballroom. But this attire was for when there was no company to be expected. Although her hair was tied back into a bun, held together by a pearl clip._

 _The heels of her sandals clicked against the wooden floor, while her eyes sternly and thoroughly examined her eldest child. "Turn." She said once, twirling her finger._

 _Madrid huffed out loudly and did as her mother said. She twirled slowly on the platform in front of dozens of mirrors reflecting her irksome self. Right now, she'd rather be outside rowing on her boat, but she was stuck here with her stuffy mother. When she ended her twirl, she mocked a bow with her lips curling upwards, "How was that?"_

 _Sofia opened her embroidered fan, releasing herself of the humidity and of her daughter's incompetent behavior. Neither were bearable. She eyed her daughter from head to toe, then swiftly closed her fan, "It needs more coins in the back. There has be an even number of them on both sides. I won't stand for careless needlework."_

" _Yes, ma'am." The maid replied as she threaded her needle, resuming her work._

" _Mother," Madrid said, lifting up her sleeve with coins dangling at the cuffs. "This is honestly too much. I can't move an inch without making noise. I am my own marching band."_

" _When you enter a room, everyone will be looking at you my dear. I want to show them all how dazzling you are at the party tonight."_

" _Can't I wear anything else? I have so many gowns that are a lot more comfortable…and quiet."_

 _Sofia outstretched her hand and cupped her dear daughter's face, brushing away a lock of blue hair away from her cheek. She sighed, happily, "you have such beautiful hair, like your grandmother. If only she could see you now. She would be so proud of what a fine woman you are becoming."_

" _I don't feel different at all. I feel the same as I woke up this morning and the morning before."_

" _Sometimes change happens without us knowing. That doesn't make it more or less scary as the ones that jump right in front of our faces. Usually, the most important ones tend to go unnoticed, and are gradually realized later on."_

" _Mother, I can tell you as a matter of fact that most of my life is static." Nothing monumentally significant ever happens to her. Maybe the most interesting thing would be the new barnacles growing on the bottom of her rowboat. Madrid even realized that a few doubled in size over the past few days which acquired the attention of a few crabs when she left her boat on shore._

" _Well, I think tonight will be different," Sofia said, smiling brightly. "There will be a special guest tonight that will, I think, end your static life. Your life will be full of adventure and wonder."_

 _Madrid highly doubted that prospect. The only guests they invite to gather at their home are old and stuffy and downright boorish aristocrats who have more money than they know what to do with. The ballroom is usually enveloped in a haze of cigar puffs from the men and the woman are always surrounded by their own stuffy cloud of exotic fragrances. The mixture of the two makes Madrid's eyes tear. Most of the time, she'll sit in another and airier room with the guest's children that are tossed around like dressed up dolls._

 _They talk of all the same things, almost as if they were a broken record playing everything on repeat. These guests know nothing of adventure or wonder, but neither did Madrid, unfortunately. She only knew about adventures through the eyes and words of others such as plays and operas and poetry, but that didn't make her any less imaginative._

 _Madrid was about to speak until the doors to her room opened, slightly. A little boy came crying into the room holding his hands to his face, rubbing his red eyes. He continued sniffling as mucus dripped down his nose and unto his white shirt, staining the bow. He ran up to his mother wanting to cling to her dress, but she kept him at arm's length. Instead she directed him towards the maid._

 _But the maid was busy sewing and weaving and her fingers were full of prickly needles. In a heartbeat, Madrid picked up and balanced her younger brother on her hip, slightly bopping up and down like the ocean waves._

 _He began to quiet down; a tear dripped from his chin and fell on Madrid's blouse._

" _Do not sniffle on your sister," Sofia remarked, not wanting him to stain her newly embroidered blouse._

 _But they didn't mind her, Madrid said, "Why are you crying Alciel?"_

 _Alciel, with his cerulean hair, rested his head on Madrid's shoulder. He held his arms lose around her neck and spoke, quietly, "Shion was picking on me again."_

" _What did the fartknocker do this time?" She mumbled._

 _Alciel giggled aloud, his tears slowly drying up. He looked up at his beautiful older sister and puffed his rosy cheeks, "Shion's using my stuffed animals as target practice again. Tell him to stop, please. He always listens to you."_

 _Suddenly, a head of short black hair peaked through the door. He crept into the room as he tried to hold his slingshot inconspicuously behind his back. Which wasn't working, since Madrid could see the rubber sling's shadow swaying back and forth on the wall. Shion should have just thrown his new toy in the potted plant outside the study room when he had a chance. But Alciel was running too fast. He looked towards the ground and scoffed under his breath, "don't believe those water works, they're a lie."_

" _I doubt that." Madrid said, deadpanned. While Alciel whined, profusely._

" _He was shooting pebbles against Thalassa and Puntos. One pebble even hit Thalassa in the eye, he'd hurt her really bad!"_

 _Shion rolled his eyes at the remark. So what if his pebble knocked the button eye right out from the toy's plushy eye socket. It could easily be sewn back in. "It's not like they have feelings. They're just stuffed animals, god, you are such a baby."_

" _Am not!"_

" _Are too! Say that again without snot on your face and maybe I'd believe you!"_

 _Madrid commented as she clicked her tongue, clearly. "Says the boy who still sleeps with his blankie."_

 _It was obvious from the brush red hues on Shion's cheeks, Madrid sent her younger brother cowering in his steps, while the other was sent laughing._

" _Shion's a baby, a baby, a baby," Alciel sang with his sweet voice coated with sugar, "Shion's a baby and that is you!"_

" _It's not a blankie, it's just a conveniently soft blanket. That happens to be of a smaller stature."_

" _That's exactly what a blankie is." Madrid then added, "care to reveal what's behind your back."_

 _Shion shifted, uneasily. "No."_

" _Then I should have a look instead."_

 _Shion's eyes popped as he decided he was swimming in the deep end. He decided to play cool and lean his back against the wall with his slingshot in between. He opened his hands wide, palms open towards Madrid. Who wasn't buying any of it. "See, I have nothing."_

" _Step away from the wall."_

" _But it's comfortable here."_

" _So is my fist."_

 _Shion mumbled something incomprehensible and tossed his slingshot onto her bed. Then his mother began to scold him severely about how gentlemen aren't supposed to play with uncivilized toys. She pulled him out of the room, by his ear with her overly jeweled hand covered with rings. A finely cut ruby was poking his skin while he whined the entire time to her study._

* * *

 _Korren's study was situated on the south side of the mansion. He was able to look upon the gardens filled with fruits such as figs that the chefs cook with._

 _He looked out his window and saw one pick sprigs of figs off the branches. He tapped against the window three times and caught the gardener's attention. The window opened as he was wanted a freshly, ripe fig, "Thank you," he said._

 _The gardener bowed, low. Then continued on their way to the kitchen to prepare for tonight._

 _Korren walked aimlessly throughout his office, from his mahogany desk to the book shelf and back and forth again. He bit into the succulent fig and the juices trickled sweetly throughout his mouth. His mouth was full and so were his thoughts._

 _Korren is the head of the Sierren Family. Leader of the Northern Islands. Right now, he was utterly distraught. What was concerning him the most was the huge wave of citizens immigrating from the east and south islands all the way to the north islands. He knew a string of uprisings began happening in the east and now it was spreading to the south. It all started when the annual production of crops and harvest dwindled because of the rainless season. People became hungry and they became restless when the east Families did nothing in response to children starving. Then on top of the increased taxes when people were making zero profit made things much worse._

 _People rebelled hoping for change and social reform, but a few rotten seeds were mixed in with those people betting on a brighter future. Groups involved in the cartel of illegal weapons took out the families and promised an end to all their troubles, but they simply substituted themselves in those power-hungry roles. They gorged themselves off the labors of others, just like the Families did. Only this time, instead of a small and feeble tax collector knocking politely on household doors when pay was overly due. Rebels came with heavy arms. No sooner, taxes escalated, food became increasingly scarce, and people became more frightened._

 _Korren feared for the worse, as an associate of his in the east was murdered fairly recently, along with his family, at home. He was sleeping in bed with his wife and along came a group of those monsters, barking and yelling and howling under the full moon. The man looked out his window, distraught. As soon as he turned to warn his beloved, glass shattered and he became an unrecognizable pin cushion of what used to have been a man._

 _Korren paced around his study, finishing off the fig. The white, sticky liquid clung to his fingers and that's when he realized he needed a napkin. Instead, he made do and licked his fingers. Good thing his wife didn't see his poor manners, she was so stuffy about them. Hopefully this fiasco was just a simple infection. That would contain and go away by itself, if given time._

 _He feared for his family, wife and children. He feared for Madrid, along with a thousand waves of doubt and regret. Especially about tonight's party._

 _He sat down in his chair and rubbed his temples. He thought fervently on the business proposals that sent his heart aching bitterly. It was too late to go back on the conglomerate between his colleagues. Contracts have been signed and it was not honorable to go back on their written words._

 _If things go as planned, the north and west families will be stronger than ever. It would be a small sacrifice for a better future._

 _There was a knock on the door._

 _Korren shook, immediately. Jolting his head upward and realizing he was sweating. He dabbed his forehead with his hand, and made sure his voice wasn't shaking before speaking. The bearer of the knock opened the door and walked._

 _Korren smiled, brightly. "Who else do I owe such a splendid visit than from the one person in the house who refuses to send in a calling card. Sit down child."_

" _Hello father," Madrid said as she kissed his cheek which was scratchy and rough from a neglected morning shave. "And I am not a child, I am supposedly a stuffy and incredibly boorish, adult woman. That's at least what mother says." Madrid sat down on a circular, red cushion with black interwoven frames that kept it standing._

" _And what is wrong with being a stuffy and incredibly boorish adult? I am a stuffy and incredibly boorish adult. I am appalled."_

" _I think you are not as boorish as the average adult is."_

" _Such high praise coming from my own daughter. I am touched beyond belief. But you my dear, An adult? No, you will always be my little girl. It's so hard for me to imagine you growing up and leaving me."_

" _Don't worry yourself father, I won't be going anywhere." Madrid crisscrossed her legs, "May I ask, but why do adults always seem to be lacking in imagination?"_

 _Just then, they heard Shion being reprimanded by Sofia in an incredibly high-pitched tone. The books neatly propped behind Korren seemed to quiver off the shelves, but that was only according to Madrid's, vivid, imagination. Korren nodded and titled his head to the side, "It's probably because your mother scares it out of them. Heaven knows, there is nothing left of mine."_

" _Well, I think you are quite imaginative."_

" _I don't need my only daughter's pity. I'm fine being boorish and stuffy." Korren tilted his nose up high like the obnoxiously snobby and sniffed, grandly. Madrid laughed, "There is too much fun in this room, I can smell it through my highly enhanced, adult nostrils."_

" _Maybe I should call mother and she'll have this room desensitized of fun in no time."_

" _Heaven's no." Korren shuddered. "This is my only sanctuary."_

 _Madrid laughed and looked across her father's desk, with papers spread all across it. There was even a cigar box filled to the brim with rolled up toxins to burn and breathe. Although, her father was not fond of smoking and it was mainly used for display and offered to guests when they visited her father's study. Madrid only remembers her father smoking once at another friend's party. She was incredibly young and dressed in a gown covered with bows, and worn stockings for the first time. They were itchy and after trying them on once, she tore them off and refused to wear them again. She hid amongst her closest so her nanny wouldn't force her to wear them again. Still in tears over the whole fiasco, Madrid sat amongst a table of other children when she saw her father take one whiff of that thing. He did not finish it or take in more than one puff, but he was surrounded by others who breathed in that smoke like it was the very air they needed to live and urged him to lighten up._

 _Tears dried from Madrid's face as she ran up to her father and yanked the cigar out of his hand, threw it in the ground, stomped on it four times, then dropped it out the window. That cigar wasn't going to be hurting anybody anymore. She was proud that she saved her father's life, no 'thank you's' were necessary. It was all in a hero's day to day job. But still, Korren thanked Madrid and thought she was amazing. His friend's thought she was something else, a wild and ill-mannered child._

 _Korren opened up a drawer from his desk and revealed a ceramic bowl of assorted hard candy in colorful wrappers. Ones were wrapped green with white stripes and others were blue with purple polka-dots. Korren picked the green one and unwrapped it, revealing a neon green sugary treat. He plopped it into his mouth and othered the bowl to Madrid to take one. She waved both of her hands._

" _No thank you."_

" _I insist, there is plenty to go around."_

" _It's not that," Madrid said, "It's just that they taste horrible."_

 _Korren slowly sucked in his candy. The shell cracked in his mouth. "I'm not following you, these are delicious. See this flavor," He picked up the same candy from the bowl as the one in his mouth. "This is lemon grass and is the most delicious flavor out of all of them."_

" _That already gives me low expectations for the others."_

" _Suit yourself." Korren said as he finished off the candy dissolving in his mouth. He changed the subject from terrifying sweets to other matters. "How is everything at the hospice?"_

 _Madrid straightened up a bit, "things have been better and worse, but I think the lantern festival really brightened up everyone's spirits. They really needed it." Even if the Families were exactly favored on the Islands. The Sierren's had a slightly different reputation. They were more liked than the others, but that doesn't mean they were really loved either. But Madrid was an exception. She volunteers down at the hospice, frequently. Just recently, everyone worked really hard to re-create the lantern festival at the hospice since patients were generally too weak to travel to town square and to the ocean. Instead of letting the lanterns drift off in the ocean, they built them differently, and let them drift off into the sky, each with a small candle. It wasn't just the lantern festival either. Madrid brings in snacks and toys for the children and plays with them when they have energy. She wholeheartedly listens to eager storytellers who are quadruple her age and more. They tell her of stories from their youth, which brings them so much joy, or other things wandering through their minds. She is even learning sign language to talk to a death patient, whose name is Eva. Eva always had a lot to say._

" _Listen, Madrid," said Korren, adjusting his cufflinks. "Your mother only cares for your best interest, so be on your best behavior tonight. It will be in everyone's best interest that you do."_

" _I understand."_

 _Soon, night came. As the sky darkened and the house lit up with dazzling lights. The Sierren mansion turned into a beautiful star amongst that dark sky. And soon that mansion would be filled with dazzling stars of its own, but like all stars, no matter how bright; they are drawn into the pull of a gravitational collapse._

 _And like all black holes, they snuff out the light._

* * *

 _The maid had to take in the waist line of Madrid's skirt and make it tighter and smaller than usual, so her skirt wouldn't fall down due to the extra weight of the coins._

 _Madrid's cerulean hair was long and wavy with a single clip, elevating the back braid. With every step she took, she jingled and warranted attention. How she wished the night would just end._

 _Like every other party, the same music echoed through the ballroom. The pianist was sitting at his bench, playing upbeat tunes. Guests one by one gathered around him, dancing and laughing. They even placed elaborate cocktails on top of the piano for the musician to drink. It was their way of thanking him for the joyous music._

 _Oh, how the drinks were piling up and the pianist refused to play while being tipsy. Later, they got a butler to drink the offerings for him, because it was rude to refuse such a thing. So the butler got tipsy on the pianist's behalf._

 _Suddenly, Alciel came running up to Madrid with his teddy bears in hand. Madrid understood immediately._

 _They made their way to her room, even still, they could hear the band's music perforating through the walls. Madrid put her hand to the wall and felt it vibrate._

 _Alciel spoke as he held Thalassa and Puntos in his hands. They were gifts from father that he genuinely loves and were named after two of the any gods and goddesses of the ocean in ancient times. "You have to help me hide them from the party and keep them safe. Shion might try to a cheap trick again."_

" _Why don't I put them in my vault? That's very safe." Madrid said, looking over to her secret hideaway behind her family portrait._

 _Alciel shook his head, adamantly. "That's too obvious for a hiding spot. It has to be really secretive, where no one will look. And Shion knows the combo to it anyway."_

 _An artery burst in Madrid's head as she thought of Shion snooping around in her room uninvited. Then she had an idea. She retrieved the letter opener from her nightstand and propped down low next to the wooden floor boards._

 _She pried the wooden board open, revealing a small compartment with enough room to hide two, valuable treasures. Alciel's face lit up like a star as he placed his beloved stuffed bears in the secret hideaway. He kissed each of their fluffy hands once and promised to come back as soon as the party is over. He knew that Puntos wasn't fond of the dark, but a few hours in there will spare them from Shion's wrath._

 _Hand in hand they walked back towards the party, awaiting the unexpected._

* * *

 _The hours drew long as the party paraded on through the night._

 _The ballroom was the place the be, where history was about to be made._

 _Sofia's gown was embroidered with pearls, from head to toe she was the most glorious gem of the sea. She danced with Korren as he twirled her around. Through the corners of her eyes, she caught the envious gazes of those other lowly woman around here. She smirked as she turned towards her husband._

 _She waved for a butler, whom offered her a glass of champagne with a strawberry bobbing at the surface. She tapped her glass, smiling gracefully as she acquired everyone's attention. The spotlight was on her, where it should be. She spoke, eloquently._

" _Thank you all for joining us on such a momentous occasion." She looked towards the crowd as they raised up their already refilled glasses._

" _On behalf of the Sierren Family, I can say that it warms all of our hearts to all those who continuously supported us throughout the years. It is because of you that we all stand strong, together as kin. Cheers." Sofia raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp. The guests did the same, cheering along. Even the butler in the back, next to the piano toasted to the fine occasion. He swiped a bottle of wine and raised it high. The pianist rolled his eyes._

 _Sofia waved her hand towards Madrid and Shion, "come along children, stand next to your father and I." Then she saw her youngest boy, Alciel, sleeping angelically on the couch. She decided to let him sleep, he was all tuckered out. She laced her arm around Madrid's and kissed her forehead. Waved towards another family to stand alongside them, which caught Madrid's growing suspicion, gardened this was the first time she has ever seen them. She looked at her mother then back at the family, calm as she was taught to behave._

" _In these difficult times, friendship and family are the only things one can truly rely on. My husband and I are thrilled that we share this special bond with you all." Then she softened her voice, "but it pains me that our kin in the east and west islands are struggling in far greater circumstances than imaginable." She held unto to Madrid's hand and looked ahead. "In order to stand strong against his wave of opposition, the north and west must join forces, for the benefit of all."_

 _Madrid opened her mouth, barely, as she looked at her parents for answers. Her mother was busy putting on a front while her father was looking out the window, his mind elsewhere._

" _I know there has been bad blood between the Myonos Family of the West of and Sierren's of the North, but we must all turn over a new leaf and start anew."_

 _Madrid mumbled, hiding her nervousness behind her best smile. "Mother, what is going on?" Sofia ushered her daughter towards the center of the ballroom, and the Myonos Family did the same with their son, who looked as confused as Madrid when they stood face to face with each other._

" _After all, there is nothing better than to bring people together when facing an adversary of tragedy," She clasped both of their hands, and Madrid instantaneously felt her stomach drop as her world began to spiral. "Than the union of two families. Thank you all for joining us to celebrate the engagement of Eoin Myonos and, my beautiful daughter, Madrid Sierren. Blessed be the lovely couple."_

 _Madrid's breathing became heavier as the room began closing in on her. Her chest elevated and compressed heavily as she turned to her father, hoping he would say it was a joke! But he looked at her and she would remember for all her life that he said nothing. He loved her, yet he said nothing. He did not say it was a joke and he did not object; he did not say anything. She felt her heart crumbling._

" _Father," she mumbled._

 _He said, as if it pained him to do so, "it's what's best for everyone."_

 _Eoin, her newly betrothed, looked as bewildered as she did. He turned around to his parents, but they would not listen to him either._

 _History was to be made with the union of the most powerful families in the north and west. Using their children as stepping stones to compete in the arms race against the raging rebels taking over the east and south Islands. The Myonos Family was the best to ally themselves with, considering they have their hands in the pockets of powerful officials situated in Kukan'yu Kingdom._

 _But Madrid wanted no part of it._

 _Dancing and mingling resumed in the ballroom, ballgowns twirled and glasses were toasted to the young couple. Madrid scowled and spoke to her mother in a crowd full of impudent smiles. "Mother, I refuse to marry this boy-_

" _Eoin, dear."_

" _I don't care if his name is barnacle brain. You did not tell me about this thing in the slightest. How can I even love someone I don't even know? I refuse to."_

 _Sofia waved her black, laced fan in front of her face, relieving herself of the sweltering heat emitted from all the lights. She smiled and tapped a guest's shoulder as they passed, enjoying the party with all its splendors._

" _Mother!" Madrid pleaded, anxiously._

" _Darling, you have nothing to worry about. Believe me, when my parents arranged my marriage with your father, I knew him as much as you did about Eoin."_

" _Absolutely nothing?"_

" _Precisely," she said with ease. "We were already sorting through the best suitor to propose to you, it just happens that time is of the urgency. You understand, don't you?"_

" _No, I don't." Madrid said, deadpanned. "I can't marry someone I don't love and I won't fall in love with him."_

" _Madrid, don't be so stubborn. That true love you see in so many operas is only fictitious. Love is as real as magic. You'll waste your whole life if you try to look for it, but security is attainable. That is what your father and I have made a reality you for."_

 _Her daughter's lips curled downward as she spoke softly, like a small and frail wave breaking on the shore. "You love father, don't you mother?"_

 _Sofia hesitated answering. She waved her fan profusely like a humming bird's wings. "Over the years a sense of mutual respect has formed between us, but if you are so concerned of love. If it would make you happy, you may have a suitor of your choice to accompany you when you are married. You must keep it private from your husband, of course."_

 _Madrid's jaw dropped, flabbergasted. She wasn't even married yet, and they are already taking about infidelity. Even encouraging such a deceitful thing. It even sounds like her mother is speaking from experience._

" _I-I want no part in any of this." She breathed. Suddenly the room spun under Madrid's feet. She tumbled backwards as a maid caught her from falling, fortunately. She felt a hand touch hers, but she felt no warmth. She felt the dreaded coldness from the rings and diamonds and rubies. It repulsed her._

 _She pulled her hand away from her mother's and stormed out of the ballroom as an aisle of guests parted for her to pass. Everyone stared, awkwardly. Sofia simply laughed and brushed off her daughter's ill-manner with flirtatious eyes, and blamed it was a young bride's giddiness._

 _Madrid was tired and fed up with everything. She ripped off her jingling skirt and threw it, fiercely as it clunked against the ground of her room._

 _She secluded herself on her balcony and overlooked the water ahead. It was dark and impossible to see. It felt like it could just consume her whole and keep her safe from what's down below._

 _She borrowed her face in her arms as she huddled on a metal chair._

 _Shion knocked on her door, uncertainly. Peeking through the door, "Are you okay? Mother and father are worried."_

" _How would you feel if you they forced marriage on you with a stranger you don't even know? This isn't an adventure, this is torture. Using me for some stupid, political game. I'm so stupid for not knowing when Mother was hinting at it earlier, she is rarely nice for the sake of it."_

 _Shion shuffled towards his sister with his hands nestled in his pockets. His hair was untidy and his shoulders were slouched, what would his mother say seeing him in such a disheveled way. Most certainly not a gentleman, she would lecture him endlessly about it. "I wouldn't like it…"_

 _Madrid swiped her nose along her arm. Shion handed her a box of tissues, as she tore them out by the handful._

 _Then he sat next to her, rubbing his hand along her shoulder. "It's not as if you're going to marry him tomorrow or anything. You're just engaged and you'll marry him when you're of age and that years later and-"_

 _Madrid shot him a ghastly look that sent Shion pulling back his hand._

" _I'm sorry. I'm not helping. I got it." Shion leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He stared off in the black waters and said, absentmindedly. "I can shoot this guy's butt with my slingshot, if you want. I have very good aim."_

 _His sister's laugh sent his heart soaring. She looked more beautiful with a smile on her face, than with a frown._

" _But that's me going easy on him, so I gotta show my new brother whose boss." Shion declared. But then Madrid's laughing stopped as she saw something trickle behind his ear._

" _Shion, look at me." She said, but her brother only protested. Covering the back of his ear with his hand. He eventually gave up because of his sister's persistent stubbornness. He looked down at the ground, solemnly. Madrid immediately pulled a wad of tissues and dabbed them gently and added compression on the back of his ear to stop the bleeding. "Why didn't you say anything?"_

" _It doesn't even hurt," Even though Shion winced at the touch. "I forgot all about it." Earlier in the day when his mother reprimanded him for misbehaving. She yanked on his ear while pulling him out of Madrid's room. Sofia happened to be wearing many rings that were very, very finely cut. With the force and the pull of her ringed hand combined with her anger. Her diamond ring cut and tore the skin behind Shion's ear. After she lectured him, and wiped the blood off her diamond. He cried alone in the dumbwaiter for quite some time, until he was sent downstairs to the kitchen where the chefs were expecting empty dishes from breakfast, not a crying child. He stopped crying then. "I accidentally scratched at it and I guess it started bleeding again…"_

" _Your health and well-being come first." Madrid said tenderly as she applied a bandage from her vanity drawer. "Everything else can take a back seat." She even remembered how her mother yanked on her hair when she was younger, especially during etiquette lessons when Madrid wouldn't stay put or stand up straight. It always left her scalp burning. Although, Mother stopped doing such things to her, considering she was bigger and stronger and could climb the steepest mountains all by herself._

 _Shion thanked his sister, resting his head on his shoulder. Moths fluttered to the lights, pouncing off the glass bulbs. He looked up at the black sky, "there used to be more stars. Where did they all go?"_

" _They're still there."_

" _It's hard to believe things you can't see."_

 _Madrid huffed, "I believe in your slingshot skills yet I have never seen you shoot the shell of a Loggin Noggin tortoise you claimed to hit from fifty meters in distance._

" _It was moving really fast, but I still got it."_

" _Riiiight."_

" _I can aim at Eoin's butt from sixty meters away."_

" _I'll believe when I see it."_

 _Shion laughed, "he won't know what coming at the next family dinner."_

 _They laughed together, intent on staying cozy there on the balcony for the rest of the party. They had enough of being played as pawn in everyone else's game. Madrid stroked her brother's hair as they talked more about the stars and Eoin and stars in the shape of Eoin's backside, the more proper terminology for undisclosable matters._

 _A loud pop resonated through the walls, sending the two siblings jolting upright. Shocked. They turned their heads towards the door and back at each other, hoping the other would know what that deafening sound was. Neither of them did, but Shion nervously guessed. "That was just a really old champagne bottle, right?"_

 _The champagne bottle theory was quickly wiped out of their minds, as they heard a cluster of more ear-splitting pops and screams, combined. Champagne and screams do not mix._

 _Immediately, they made their way downstairs. Some people were running away, like an untidy butler with a tray full of drinks, and others were lying on the ground in pools of crimson liquid._

 _Madrid's mind panicked as she thought of her family. They were still in the ballroom, and so was Alciel._

 _She opened the ball room days and her breathing stopped._

 _An unknown man held her mother by the roots of her hair, strands spiraled outward like that of Medusa. Pearls were ripped from her gown, and scattered all across the marble floor. And the countless bodies lying on the ground, some quivering and others motionless._

 _In Shion's periphery, he turned his head even though he wished he hadn't. He was flooded with despair as he saw his younger brother laying on the sofa, the place where he fell into his last sleep. His white, puffed blouse was stained red, as the source continually trickled down from his forehead._

 _He whole body was shaking._

 _Madrid spoke to the man, voice erupting. "I order you to end this madness and put down your weapons-_

 _A shot was made._

 _But it didn't hit Madrid but the maid, Celeste, who pushed her out of the way. Madrid screamed._

 _The rebel spoke, gruff. Unsheathing a knife from his satchel. Looking down on Korren who was under his boot, choking on blood and air. 'Today is the day we are free from persecution, ending the aristocracy. Let it be known, that this knife ended the great and powerful Sierren Family." He said, mockingly._

 _And the last thing Madrid saw before the ballroom doors closed on her, was the knife nearing her father's neck and mad cheers from the monsters._

 _Madrid and Shion ran to their father's study first, pulling out the emergency phone from his drawer. Shion cranked the lever with one shaky hand and steadied it with the other. Madrid called the police, who would bring everything back to order._

 _But her hopes fizzled out like the ember of a fire when they hung up on her when she stated who she was, because of her family._

 _They would not be getting help from the police tonight._

 _They heard banging on the locked door and crept through the hidden passage under the desk, leading to the underground passage way that meant for quick escapes. Madrid held her brother's hand as they were running through the dark, bumping and running into walls and corners._

 _The final door led them to the beach and the first things Madrid saw to make their escape was her row boat._

 _As they ran, Shion tripped unto the sand, bawling. "I shouldn't have been so mean to him. Why wasn't I nicer to Alciel…Why wasn't I a better brother to him."_

 _Madrid pulled him up from the sand, even when his legs wouldn't work. She fastened him in the rowboat and pushed it off the sandbank. Then she jumped in herself._

 _To this day, Madrid has regrets. She regrets the words that slipped out of her mouth, words that she did not mean to say, words that rolled out of her mouth by accident. She wondered if she hadn't said anything at all, things would be different. She wouldn't be floating in that boat alone, drifting in sea. She would still have her brother, living and beating beside her._

 _She wondered if it would have a difference if the wind didn't blow through her hair that moment. She mumbled two words as she brushed back her mess of cerulean hair sprawling across her face, "my clip."_

 _Then Shion saw the pearl hair clip lying on the sand, on the distant shore that wasn't far to reach. The pearls glimmered under the synthetic lights. Without thinking, he jumped out of the boat to go retrieve it for his sister. She pleaded for him to return to the boat._

 _He probably thought that he wanted to be a good brother. Turn over a new leaf and be good and he wouldn't be mean or pull needless pranks. He would be nice from now on and it would start with this clip._

 _But when he held the clip in his hands and turned around towards his sister. He stood in the light for all the monsters to see._

 _He was a deer in headlights, and ended up with a bullet through his chest. It came from a man standing in their balcony. Where they sat moments ago, staring up at the stars, but now his face was in the sand._

 _Shion's body sprawled on the ground, as the waves rolled and sighed over his head and shoulders. The white foam turned pink, an unsightly color for ocean water._

 _Madrid was about to jump out herself, until bullets from the same man in the balcony hurdled towards her._

 _Darkness was on her side as they came, she rolled into a right ball with her hands wrapped around her head and prayed it would just stop. Her boat continued drifting out of the bay, leaving her home, her family, and her brothers behind._

 _She should have died on shore with Shion. At least they would be together, even in death._

* * *

 _Night turned into day then on again as the waves rocked her boat. She lost count of how many days she's been stranded at sea. She froze under the moon and baked under the sun. Her arms and legs turned red and blistered under the heat and burned when she touched them. Her skin was scorching. She wanted to dive into the water and relieve her pain, but she was too weak to move. It ached her too much. Even the grey, curved fins that splicing the top of the water in half and knocked against her boat made her tremble and lay motionless, gravely._

 _She stared down at the water and licked her chapped lips._

 _She knew not to drink sea water, but it was so tempting when her mouth was as dry as the dessert. Her lips looked like that of the barren ground of the olive tree groves._

 _Madrid curled into a ball, salt water dripped from her eyes. An endless stream of more water she couldn't drink. She couldn't stop her parents' deaths. Her words meant nothing to that rebel. They were meaningless and weak. She had no power to stand against him or any of them. Her mother and father perished because of her inability to save them. She wasn't there for her innocent, little brother. Alciel had a promising life in front of him and it was gone. She should have woken him up with sweet words in the ballroom when the engagement was announced, but she stormed off bitterly. Angered by her arranged marriage, which no longer mattered now. Why didn't she scream to Shion to return to the boat? Why didn't she convince him otherwise? If she mad said something else, or mothing at all. He would still be here._

 _She didn't want to be alone._

 _Why did she say those stupid, meaningless words!? Two stupid words! Two petty words! 'My clip. My clip. My clip.' She slammed her fist against the wood, banging and banging until splinters penetrated her skin._

 _Madrid recoiled back, painfully. Holding her hand to her chest._

 _She should have said she loved him. She wouldn't have been so angry with her parents, knowing it was their last moments._

 _Her breathing became ragged and her vision blurred._

 _Suddenly, the waved grew bigger and jostled the boat. Madrid was too tired to look up, convinced it was an impatient shark or other animal determined to have her for dinner. A thud and echoed in her ears as someone turned her over._

 _She couldn't make out their face or the words they spoke. She turned her head towards the motored boat, with the Kukan'yu Kingdom's flag beating against the wind._

 _It was a coast guard._

 _She was saved._

* * *

 _The man wore a white uniform with a yellow life vest secured around his chest. He wore black sunglasses that excellently deflected the sun._

 _Madrid sat under the parasol of a tarp, gulping water and scarfing down biscuits._

 _This man showed her kindness. He gave her food and water and shelter. He saved her from perishing. And she thanked him, horribly._

 _She kept hearing warble mumbles echoing in her ears. Initially she thought they were water logged, but that seemed impossible. Then she thought it was a symptom of dehydration. She was becoming delirious. She closed her eyes tight to shut away those persistent mumbles._

 _It sounded as if someone was speaking to her._

 _Then the man took off his sunglasses. Revealing a pair of hazel eyes. He spoke, calmly. "What is your name?"_

 _Her voice was sore, but she was able to croak a single sound. To this day, she wished she stayed silent. She opened her mouth and stuttered, "M-Madrid."_

 _Immediately, she held a hand to her throat and rubbed it. This wasn't her voice! This sound was not hers. Then she looked up at the man who saved her, and his hazel eyes gradually turned white. He stared at her and his complexion turned pale._

 _She spoke a voice that wasn't hers once again, "Are you alright sir?"_

 _The man turned his head towards the water, and his complexion changed. His olive skin turned to that of the underbelly of a fish. Then it became moist and started to bubble and plop, then finally, foam._

 _Until that was what he transformed into, entirely._

 _His sunglasses sunk in a pile of sea foam, while Madrid screamed a voice that didn't belong to her. Finally realizing her actions, she clamped her mouth shut, shaking next to the stirring wheel._

 _Suddenly, the mumbles in her head became louder and louder. She looked upwards and screamed beneath her hand. The source became painfully clear._

 _Two scaly creatures swam in the air like it was water. Their horrid skulls matted under the sun while their sickly scales glimmered beneath it._

 _One quickly flew in front of Madrid's face, which sent her hastily recoiling back against the gears of the boat. A lever jammed into her spine. All the while, her hand was still covering her mouth. Her shoulders were quivering._

 _One of the deformed fish spoke, with a chipper voice, "Look what you have done, you nincompoop! Your face scared the living daylights out of her."_

 _The one in front of Madrid turned towards his scaly counterpart and said, scornfully. "My face is perfection. But yours, have you seen your reflection!? Save us the torture and wear a bag over your head."_

 _To Madrid, they both looked the same. Neither one was horrendous, sickly, or repulsive than the other. They were identical in every way. Except their attitudes._

 _The other creature began to whine in high pitched tones. She covered her eyes, well mostly empty sockets, with her webbed fins and cried horrible shrieks._

" _Shut up!" he said, "You are being so noisy. This isn't how we are supposed to introduce ourselves. Nitwit."_

 _She immediately stopped crying and swam in front of her companion. She lowered her skull and waved her fin angelically towards Madrid. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Madrid. My name is Thalassa. And do not mind this behemoth behind me. Just ignore him."_

" _Hey. Hey. HEY." He said, pushing her back. He bowed deeply in front of Madrid to the point of flipping over into a summer-salt. His tail brushed against Madrid's nose. She squirmed back, "I am the more AWESOME of the two of us. The name's Puntos. My lady."_

 _Then he did the unthinkable which sent chills running up and down Madrid's back. Puntos kissed her hand with the jaw of his skull. His clammy, cold, and vile skull._

 _Out of fear, she sent Puntos sent flying. He hit the side of the boat and plummeted into a bucket of water weeds._

 _Madrid breathed heavily and pointed to the pile of sea foam with the sunglasses in the center of it. "E-Explain this!"_

" _Oh," Thalassa said, calmly. "those are sunglasses. Very trendy among nautical folk."_

 _Madrid voice broke into tears and they fell from her eyes down to her cheeks and trickled off like droplets on the edge of a waterfall. "The foam! Why did he turn into foam!?"_

" _Him you meant! Yes! Forgive me, Madrid! Allow me to explain_. _You wonder why you couldn't save your family. Why your spoken word fell on death ears. No matter what you said, your voice did no good. It couldn't save your parents nor your brothers. Puntos and I heard your plea and were born from your vow. In exchange for power, your old voice was relinquished. But fear not! You will never have to be at anyones mercy ever again! With one word of your new voice, you will be able to stop anyone who stands in your way. You will never have to comply to the hands of those rebels again, your new voice has the power to stop them all. Isn't that great?"_

 _Tears formed at the edge of Madrid's eyes as she began to shake her head back and forth. Exhausted. Confused. Frightened._

" _That's right," Puntos finally squirmed out of the bucket, shaking the water weeds off himself. Water splattered unto the floor. Drip by drip as he hovered towards her. One weed fell into the pile of foam of what used to be the coast guard. "Your voice…"_

 _Madrid clenched her ears, refusing to hear what she already knew was true as she stared back at both of them. What seemed to resemble eyes were in truth only cold and empty and dark voids pushed in their skulls that pinned her down, body and soul. They saw all who she was, is now, and forever will be. Broken. Cursed. Ruined for all time._

"Your voice," said Puntos. " _Is death."_

* * *

 **THANK YOU FOR READING MY SPOOKY PUMPKINS! *hugs***

 **I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter about Madrid's origin , nen ability, and her nen beasts, Thalassa and Puntos along with her tragic back story *dramatic theatrical pose* Anyway ,What did you like? XD**

 ** ** ** **And I'm sorry about updating so late! School has been so hectic, and I haven't had time for my fic, but all is good *sigh* OH! ATWW has reached 200K words! That's exciting! XD Thank you so so so so so much guys for supporting the story! I love you all lots!********

 ** ** ** **See you guys next time! Bye!********


	37. Chapter 33: Kings x of all x Kinds

**Hi Guys! This update was long overdue, I'm so sorry! (thanks for waiting ;A; ) I hope the new year is going great for all of you. I'm happy the semester is over and I can take a short break for a while. So, I have been writing, reading, chilling, watching some good old anime all before it resumes again LOL BUT! Before you dive into this chapter, I would like to give a fic recommendation!**

 ** ** ** ** **If you are into a new generation of young, enthusiastic, adorable little hunters whose hearts are filled to the brim with hope and dreams and adventure, may I present to you, 'Hunter X Hunter G2,' written by Oreozfox. The four main characters are the kids of our beloved dorks in the canon, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio. They are my favorite kiddos that tackle the dangerous world of HXH lol and there are actually three seasons of her story, so check them out because they are so cute XD I think you'll guys like it!**********

 ** ** ** ** **Feel free to leave me fic recommendations too! Thank you my lovelies, enjoy the chapter :D**********

* * *

 **Chapter 33: Kings x of all x Kinds **

_Madrid made up her mind, or maybe it was her body propelling her to move her legs, trudging over the remains of what used to be the kind-hearted man who saved her life. The sea foam bubbled and plopped beneath her bare feet. Soaking through her skin and bones._

 _Her heart squirmed, but her arms moved accordingly towards the stirring wheel of the vessel. Her hands gripped the apparatus, firm. Then her eyes hovered towards all the trinkets decorating the coast guard's station; maps, faded charts of the sea, compasses, and even a ceramic blue eye hanging from a chain with a single white dot in the center to ward away all evil that should ever beseech the ship but more importantly, the captain to sail it._

 _Madrid somberly looked back down towards the stirring wheel, her heart sinking like a rock falling into the deep abyss. Her hands were either trembling from holding on too hard or trembling, maybe, from the fear of letting go of the wheel. In fear of being pulled along in to the abyss._

 _Thalassa and Puntos, these frightful creatures to Madrid, hovered over her shoulders loyally while their scales brushed against her skin. She shuddered. How she wished they wouldn't. All she wanted to do was scream from the repulsiveness of the creatures. Her mind was weary. Her mind was tired. Her mind was shaken and broken and torn apart. Tears formed at the edges of her eyes._

 _Alciel. Shion. Mother. Father. How she ached for them to stand by her side. Instead of these two creatures, she could not love. Or ever love._

 _While Madrid's mind was turbulent as the pull of the tides during a storm, her hands worked wonders. Memories of navigating the oceans with her father and sailors who taught her never to be afraid of the sea. Then a memory resurfaced into her mind, like a pebble skidding over the water's surface. Ripples of her subconscious reemerging. 'Remember that the ocean is not a terrible thing. Storms, waves, whirlpools are a part of life, nothing can be done about those, but it is not meant to be feared or ignored.' Her father said. 'You begin to know the ocean like beginning to know someone else's heart. It's big and vast, light and dark, mysterious and full of the unknown. All the corners and depths of the sea are meant to be explored and rediscovered again and again. How else can one love someone's heart without knowing what lies within? It's impossible to understand someone, just by looking at their surface.'_

 _Then there was one sailor said the ocean was equally beautiful and equally scary, just like his mother._

 _Madrid stirred the vessel towards the land where the sun sets. And arrived at its shore at the crack of dawn. When the rays of the sun danced and shined like rubies on the water's edge._

 _According to the islanders, this kingdom is known as the sister land to the islands, better known as Kukan'yu Kingdom._

* * *

It's been this way for years. Just the three of them.

Madrid. Thalassa. Puntos.

After the massacre of the Sierren Family, the rebels made sure the message spread quickly throughout the rest of the islands. As the aristocracy of the islands crumbled with the Families leaving on boats with their riches of gold, silver, coins, and jewels nestled deep in their pockets or sewn into their clothes, they left quickly and quietly. The message was clear to all those who left and even more to all those who stayed without the means to leave. Get out or die. It was as simple as that.

Madrid safely made her way to the neighboring kingdom where she was taken in by coast guards of the land. They offered her a haven, of course. They gave her food and shelter and treatment for her wounds, but as much as they tried to question her and find out more about her, and the reason for her boarding a coast guard boat, while the guard was nowhere to be found. They only found Madrid and a puddle of sea foam on the boat, which was mopped away shortly after her arrival.

Thalassa and Puntos snickered to themselves in front of the guards, who were oblivious to these creatures floating in front of their faces. Madrid wondered if they truly found the situation hilarious, or if it was simply their mechanism of coping. She didn't believe the latter.

But when they continued to question her, she would not open her mouth. She refused to speak. She wouldn't let herself utter a sound. Madrid gripped onto the blanket giving her warmth. Her voice is toxin. No, Madrid was toxin hiding behind a beautiful smile.

Their minds increasingly ached with curiosity of the alluring girl with cerulean hair who washed up on their shores that early morning. Why, when the officers told the story to those around them, to their sisters and brothers and wives and husbands. They told them of the girl with coins sewn into her clothes carried by the waves, it reminded them of an ancient myth passed down from grandparent to parent to child. Once upon a time, when Kukan'yu Kingom was just a little thing. Not even a kingdom or country or state. It was during a time when there were no great rulers or magnificent kings or loving queens. It was just a culmination of disconnected villages and wandering vagabonds with no place to call home. This land was called ' _Relis_ _ae_ _Kukan'_ which vaguely translated into 'hearth belonging to many people.' But it also translated into 'smoked fish sausage.' And as an unfortunate mistranslation that is, that language is no longer used today, nor is that name currently used today by the kingdom. Anyway, as the story goes, when the land was dry, crops were fruitless and neither the ocean spared the people a fraction of its splendor. Hearts began to harden, and stomachs began to shrink. The old lived and the youth withered. The people needed a miracle. They needed a savior to come to their aid. They needed a leader.

Then one morning, the miraculous happened! A young man arrived on their shores wearing the finest of robes any of them has ever seen. He arrived on a humble wooden boat, just like the ones they had, but this boat was filled to the brim with treasures and gold coins and gems of the sea. This man even had, one would say, a type of aura that was strong and powerful. Like that of a warrior! Ah! The ocean, the wonderful giver of life has answered their prayers! She gave them hope. She gave them salvation. She gave them a king! A king to guide, help and aid all its people!

So, the people welcomed the man and took him in as one of their own. Slowly, the villages and people of all kinds of the land united, becoming one nation under the guidance and protection of this sacred ruler given to them by the ocean. The land became known as Kukan'yu Kindom, and from there, it only grew and flourished prosperously.

Of course, this was a just a story. A fairytale with no historical truth. No proof or logic or facts to back it up. But a beautiful myth it was, and it was a story to be passed down from old to young for a very long time.

As the years began to pass, Madrid was not alone. Thalassa and Puntos, guided her and taught her nen. In time, she thought they were not as repulsive and grotesque as before. The two little creatures were unique to say the least. But they were giving and loving and always stayed by her side. Loyal as any companion can be. And occasionally made her laugh. They taught her nen, became her friends, and more importantly, became her family. They filled the abyss in her heart and kept it full, so she would never feel lonely ever again.

Against her wishes, there are days when Madrid feels lonelier than others. Today was one of those days.

Madrid carried along her woven basket while Thalassa and Puntos flew above her. They soared in the sky and flew gulls. Their scaly tails brushing against feathery wings. Startling a bird or two in the process. Both nen beasts clapped the others webbed fin, congratulating the other on a job well done as they laughed at the gulls bobbing their heads back in forth in chaotic confusion. Then the two soared off again, swimming in the wind and breathing the fresh sea air through their gills. Who said fish couldn't fly?

Madrid's pleated skirt fluttered in the wind. She pressed her hand against her hat, for fear the wind would snatch it away from her and hurtle it towards the endless sea. It was a nice hat after all. She got it a discounted price at the _Shells and Bells_ _Courtesy of Mells_ souvenir shop in town square. Where they sell reasonable products for very well reasonable prices.

Madrid retraced her thoughts and walked up the hill, silent. Thalassa and Puntos followed her example of stillness, which is a rare state to find them both in at the same time. Especially together, side by side. There are always exceptions to rules and today was one of them. Thalassa and Puntos sworn to be on their best behavior, because today was not about them (which they slightly minded) nor was it about Madrid's ludicrously deducted hat sold at a well reasonable price.

They made it to the top of the hill as the long tendrils of grass flicked against Madrid's ankles. Madrid set down her basket beneath the shade of the old olive tree. The roots of the tree protruded from the ground, angularly and awkwardly.

She opened the basket and emptied its contents. Thalassa and Puntos, again, followed her example diligently and precisely.

Thalassa placed the framed picture of Alciel on a flattened, plateaued surface of an uplifted root.

" _Thank you,"_ Madrid said. Then the next picture was of Shion, her mother, and finally her father. Madrid lit a candle and placed it within a small, red glass bowl. The candle was low, and the rim of the bowl was high. The wind was forbidden to blow it out.

Today, is a day, in which Madrid cannot help but feel the ache of loneliness in her heart. The growing uneasiness that anchors deep down in the abyss of her heart. A love she refused to extinguish. Thalassa and Puntos floated down next to Madrid's side and folded their fins together, copying Madrid's.

Today is the anniversary of her family's death. The day in which the Sierren's disappeared off the face of the Islands. Washed away by the ocean's waves. Madrid stared at the photos of her lost ones and they stared back at her. The whole family is together. Madrid breathed once and removed her hat. Soon the wind shifted, and Madrid pulled out three more candles from the basket. One for each of her nen beasts, and the last for herself. These were long, slender candles, and were the color of aged paper. She lit the wick of the candle, a dancing flame in the bright red bowl. The wick sparked, glowing red, as the surface turned black. Soon the little embers drew into a reasonable flame. She passed the flame to her right, to Thalassa. Then she passed the flame to her left, to Puntos.

Each had a flame of their own, and it was time for silent prayer. Sunlight coated them with the warmest and gentlest of kisses. It kissed Madrid's cheek and the nen beasts' matted skulls and each photograph of the deceased. The sun was biased to no one. All were welcome to its warm embrace.

The wax on the tip of the candle slowly began to turn transparent. It dripped down away from the little flame's edge and unto Madrid's hand. She didn't mind. This is what happens with candles. They melt and drip and annoyingly sting. She scrapped off the now harden wax from her hand and brushed away the debris.

Thalassa spoke up softly, "I wish I could have known them. I wish I could have known the people who loved you so much." Then she finished, sadly.

" _Yes_ ," Madrid said in the only voice she had. She hoped, she could one day speak to them in the voice she used to have. The voice that would laugh along with her brothers, the voice she would sing with her father, and with the voice she would debate with her mother. With the voice that is not cursed. With the voice she was born with. This was also a day of another grievance for Madrid. It marked the day she changed. An irreversible change thrust upon her. She lifted her head upward towards the sky. She spotted a drifting cloud and thought it looked like a turtle. " _Yes,_ _they would have loved to meet you both. They would have loved you both."_

Thalassa smiled fondly.

" _Granted their initial reaction would have been no different from mine_." Madrid revealed, honestly.

"That's more exciting than no reaction at least." Puntos countered.

Madrid smiled fondly as she could already imagine the look on her mother's face. Conjuring this made up memory, a delightful fantasy in her mind. Plates would be thrown frantically for no reason by her mother, her father would shake quite noticeably despite holding his fright in to the best of his ability, then Shion would safe guard Alciel with his slingshot. Aiming the first pebble at either of the nen beasts' skulls. But then Alciel, would be the bravest and noblest of the bunch. He definitely would! He would leap past Shion and make his way to the nen beasts slowly and cautiously. Everyone's breath would be held as tight as a knot as they watched in horror as Alciel would reach out one arm, with the other clutching his dear teddy bears. Then Thalassa would grab hold gently, twirl and flip herself steadying her balance from the child's giving hand. Alciel would laugh and everyone would know from there that all is well.

"Why are you laughing?" Puntos questioned Madrid, a little insulted that the joke could have possibly centered around him.

"Was it something I did? Or yet to do?" Thalassa questioned, curious. She could not have possibly known the silly act she committed in Madrid's made up fantasy. Whatever the act was, she was happy it made Madrid laugh. A hearty and healthy laugh.

Puntos floated towards the photographs and stopped in front of her father's. "I like this man. He has a mustache."

"A glorious mustache," Thalassa added, respectfully.

"The mustache of a dignified leader."

" _It looks like a caterpillar_ ," Madrid wiped away a tear from the edge of her eye. " _Mother always pestered him to shave whenever a slight stub would begin to appear on his chin. This photograph was taken after a sailing expedition he went on representing the Islands to neighboring lands. On board, they ended up having a beard growing contest. Father was pleased he grew a magnificent beard, while Mother was distraught saying she mistakenly sent big foot to represent the Island's rather than her husband."_ He ended up shaving his beard, but kept the mustache for a little while longer. The charade finally ended when his wife refused to kiss him. It was her or the mustache. As Korren thought long and hard about this difficult proposition, his mind would only come to a draw! Then Sophia, his dear wife, threated to discontinue sharing the night with him.

The mustache had to go.

He said his grievance and parted ways with his caterpillar monstrosity that following day.

Madrid talked on and on to her little friends about the ordinary and extraordinary qualities of her of family. Remembering well with a smile on her face and a glow in her heart. As the photographs gazed upon Madrid. Their still and gray toned eyes locked onto her. They saw her laughing. They saw her smiling. They saw that she was different from the girl they used to know. Maybe different entirely. They knew she grew into a different lady, which is not bad at all. Change is good. Of course, change can be unsettling, nerve-racking, anxiety drenched, and chalk full of small morsels or lump sums of unwanted constipation. Nevertheless, change is good. Especially on how well that person lets that change, change them.

Madrid did not let tragedy deter her and strike her down. No matter how many times, all she wanted to do was lie with her hands folded coldly beneath the ground. Four feet under. With the help of two, unexpected companions, she was able to make it through. Life is the kind of journey which is best enjoyed in the company of others. The good kind of company. The kind that smiles with your smile. And laughs with your laugh. The kind that gives and receives love. The eyes of the photographs gazed unto her. If they could blink, speak, or smile in return. They would. You see, they would say that they are very much relieved. A little less scared for their daughter navigating the world without them. They could tell that she was neither lonely or afraid.

Thalassa and Puntos listened with open ears to Madrid's words. The only ones in the universe who thought her voice was the most beautiful one within it. Then Puntos took his candle and chomped off the top part with the flamed wick. Puntos gave a sour look in return. It tasted like roasted barnacles. Smoke slithered through the crevices of his skill. Madrid laughed brightly, a radiant laugh like the sun.

They could tell she was happy. Along with two good friends. Odd, but good friends.

How glad they were to know that their little girl, always and forever, was doing just fine.

* * *

When nightfall arrived, there were only two drowning sounds in the air. The folklore band was playing furiously with speakers and microphones surrounding them, completely. The other was Elodea, Kostas, and the other vibrant youths of the Island even more furiously yelling into each other's ear; barely managing as so much as a whisper into the recipient's ear.

"What?" Elodea yelled into Kostas's ear over the deafening music of the band, playing traditional music of the Island. He saw several unusually shaped guitars with elongated shafts plugged into speakers. The musician used a triangular pick to pluck the wire strings as he song jubilantly into the microphone. Sweat trickled down the musician's face. Elodea thought to himself that he would love to try to play that guitar someday. Maybe Kostas personally knows the band members? He seems to be friendly with everyone here tonight. "I can't hear you!"

Kostas leaned further into Elodea's ear, "I said!" He breathed, strengthening his diaphragm. "My cousin is the one playing the lead guitar! I know that you like music and he told me to tell you that-"

"I don't see an elephant! Can you point it out!?"

"My cousin plays the guitar!" Kostas yelled, restarting his one-sided discussion. Which was getting nowhere.

Elodea quirked up his eyebrow, appalled from a statement that wasn't actually said. "Kostas…That was very rude!"

Kostas continued to babble his spiel, and Elodea continued to question why Kostas called the man in the striped, green turtle neck an elephant. (Elodea thought he looked more like a goose.) Good god. These boys desperately need an interpreter. Fast.

Just then, Cia walked up from behind and tapped both of their shoulders. He aided them in their quest by pointing to the lead guitarist, pointing back to Kostas, motioning a very well executed air guitar solo then a telephone gesture pointing back to Elodea. Both boys awed in utter amazement from Cia's intervention. The boy was a genius. No wonder he skipped 8th grade algebra and went straight to geometry. Elodea spoke, enlightened. "You know the guitarist!?"

Kostas nodded happily.

Mission accomplished! Cia gave both of them a thumb's up and rejoined his group of friends with a plethora of glowsticks around their hands and arms. He jumped into the center and they all raised up their arms from his celebratory return. They reminded Elodea of the fluorescent billboards and lampposts scattered throughout Diamond City.

Elodea then looked over at the sea of cheap and foldable tables, and noticed Zooey sitting rather grumpily with a group of girls. Who all looked like they rather be somewhere else. Then there was Petro sitting next to Zooey. A boy who pretended to look like he'd rather be somewhere else, but silently. No one could tell the difference. Instead, he occupied himself with his phone and various fruit and bird related apps within it. He smiled, seeming to be enjoying himself, which was really ruining his 'I don't want to be here' act.

Today was just like any Friday night at the end of every other month in which all of the youths of the churches on the Island come together to celebrate being young or whatever that is gracelessly put together by the parents of the island that joined the trustee board at the local churches. It was basically a 'dance' if you will. A dance where there is loud music, loud food with loud spices, and loud teenagers silenced by loud music. Now, this was considered a 'special' dance. To be honest, there is nothing really special about this dance, if you really think about it. It just happened to be co-ed, which apparently made it all the more special for everyone between the ages of 13 to 21. For all those that are too young to partake, in this nothing extraordinary outtake, they talk of it with a sort of a forbidden lore. As if it was a mysterious entity. Although, the only mysterious entity in yards of this festivity is the constant concern of the community over the whereabouts of the generous donations in the donation box and where they venture up at the end of the night. This year, they have taken extra precautions and locked the box with a good lock and key. The last lock they used was a word lock and by the middle of the dance everyone knew the password was _Shmeee_ with not two, but three e's. What a shock.

Then someone changed the password to a very, very unkind word. A kind of word that would have all the church moms fainting in the parking lot, then upon awaking, storm into the office of the priest in their furious rage. Complaining about this ridiculous foolery, while the priest squeamishly sinks back into the seat of his desk. Having him question whom he was frightened of more, the Lord or the church mothers. Eventually, he would pick the latter and retire to selling used gardening tools at knocked up prices.

By this time, the traditional dancing commenced! Which, surprisingly, was the highlight of the dance. At first, everyone began to clumsily form a lopsided circle. Everyone standing next to who they know. It gradually began to take shape and form a somewhat of a decent circle. Elodea stood next to Kostas with an unknown girl to his right. She had short, cropped hair that fell to her ears with bangs that revealed her eyebrows, which were possibly plucked a little too much beforehand. Her lips glimmered with a sparkly pink gloss. As she turned her head towards Elodea, he turned his away and towards Kostas. Pretending he was entwined in a very serious and ongoing conversation that was of the upmost importance that, unfortunately, was cut short.

Kostas wondered in the sanctuary of his mind why motorcycles don't have seatbelts. Sure, they ride alongside cars and other motor vehicles on the road. Perhaps it is because motorcycles are not contained vehicles like cars or buses? What if the driver of the motorcycle were to fly out from his seat? Surely a seatbelt would come in handy. Or a giant pillow.

Elodea internally begged Kostas to let him in on the conversation. Soon, the band began to fiddle with their instruments, making sure they were in tune. While everyone knew the steps of the dance, Elodea obviously did not. Then the unthinkable happened! Elodea stood there momentarily stunned, just for a second. A micro second of confusion. His face blushed as he looked away from the girl to his right. Tempted to stuff his hands in his pockets.

Everyone was holding hands!

Even Kostas was not surprised or at all baffled, he held the hand of the boy next to him as if they were already chums! Elodea did not mind holding Kostas's hand, but when the music began to play the girl next to him already clasped his.

Why did he just leave his hand dangling there like an idiot!? He looked towards the ground, face blushing and praying to the stars above that his hand was not clammy. The metallic charm bracelet she wore on her wrist tickled Elodea's skin.

The dance is called _melona_ and it is best known as the welcoming dance. The first traditional dance to be performed at any occasion; wedding, graduation party, post successful surgery, post unsuccessful surgery…funeral, or when one feels that it is just a good day to dance! They dance the _melona_! All are welcome to partake in its joy! The steps are simple, only seven in total on constant repeat. Elodea caught on or at least he hoped he did by trying to copy the steps of the girl to the right of him. But Kostas kept bumping into him from Elodea's incorrect step, one second to late and accidentally pulled on the girl's hand when he was one step behind while everyone was one step ahead. She danced eloquently as her feet knew exactly which step to take and when. She caught his gaze then mouthed the steps, ' _1-2-3-1-2-3-4-1-2-3-1-2-3-4.'_

He caught on very quickly.

Just when he learned the steps by heart, the dance was over. For a brief moment, a weird feeling enveloped him. When the girl let go of his hand he was relieved, but a little bit sad. Everyone let go of each other's hand and gave a round of applause. Suddenly, Elodea saw the girl with the pink lip gross scurry out of the circle with the rest of the girls she hung out with.

The he quickly noticed a _clack_ , a glimmer on the ground, and a charm resembling the shape of a motorcycle surrounded by many, many more. He picked up the charm bracelet and rubbed his thumb over the rhinestones bedazzled in the center of the motorcycle's wheels. He looked up and saw the back of the girl with the cropped hair.

He squeezed between dancers and momentarily broke one circle that quickly regained itself. He followed the girl until they all stopped at the snack bar which was filled with all sorts of convenience store snacks like popcorn, chips, and cheese puffs. Next to that was the actual buffet full of pastas, stuffed eggplants and those spinach pies Elodea recently developed a fancy for. He shook his head away from the delicious food and walked up behind the girl. None of them noticed him or at least they pretended they didn't. Elodea first wanted to speak but realized that would be futile because of the music, instead he tapped the girl on her shoulder. She turned around, confused.

Elodea held the bracelet in front of her and spoke out of sheer panic, despite the fact he knew she would not be able to hear him. He couldn't even hear himself. He spoke, nevertheless. "You dropped your bracelet."

She did not hear him, but she understood the message. She looked down at her wrist then back at Elodea. Realization came upon her that her bracelet slipped off her wrist whilst dancing in the circle. She took back her bracelet and clasped it back in her wrist, then she looked back at the girls, each a little giddy. Smiling to the other. The girl took a step forward.

Elodea did not step back.

Just then he felt the lightest of kisses to ever be received on his cheek. Not that he had a lot of kisses to compare it too. Sure, Alluka and Mito and Granny Freecs would give him loads and loads of kisses at Christmas parties and birthdays to the oldest of their favorite nephews. Which was solely Elodea, to his dismay. After their avalanche of kisses, one would find Elodea in the nearest bathroom trying to wash all the lipstick stains off his forehead and cheeks. Why must Granny Freecs wear the color plum at Christmas parties! That color is impossible to remove and leaves the most noticeable of smears. It looks as if someone gave him a bruise.

But none of those kisses compared to this one.

The girl blushed and hurriedly spoke to the others behind her and they murmured something else to her in return, completely oblivious to Elodea. Just then they ran off, leaving Elodea blushing on the concrete for several minutes.

And a few minutes after he was standing there with a giddy smile plastered on his face. He began to walk with a kick in his step. Should he tell Kostas of what just happened? That was his first kiss! Well, first non-family kiss. But do kisses on the cheek really count as first kisses? They have to count, right? Or maybe not…Elodea stopped in his tracks and looked back towards the spot the girl and her friends disappeared from.

He wondered if he will bump into her again.

He hopes so. Maybe if he describes her to Kostas, he will have an inkling of who she is. After all, Kostas seems to know everyone. And her aura. Elodea breathed softly. Despite the deafening music beating against his ears throughout the entire dance and even though he was unable to hear the voices of those around him, he could hear her aura. Perfectly. It had the same rhythm just like the dance. It was so pretty, so joyful, and so energetic. He sighed to himself, lightly.

The boy was completely smitten, and he did not even know her name. Oh, the wonders of the world that baffle us all. To fall head over heels for a person within a few moments of meeting them, while barely even knowing them, was a very odd thing. Against all other logic it did not make sense. Nevertheless, it was a very interesting, odd thing. A very interesting, odd thing that one could not help but entangle themselves in, gladly.

Just then as Elodea ventured to tell Kostas of his possible first kiss, his steps began to slow. Surrounded by happy dancers and laughter, Elodea's smile began to fade and turn to that of a horrible grimace. He pupils began to dilate, and he clenched his fists so tight they began to turn white.

He decided that he would postpone telling Kostas of his kiss, it did not matter to him now. He was overflowed with one thought only that consumed and thrashed achingly around his mind.

Elodea briskly walked past the other kids then exited the party. Venturing into the shadowy woods where the lights from the stage could not reach him. Then he passed by (and thoroughly ignored) a couple giving more kisses to the other than he could have ever imagined possible in a lifetime.

His walk turned into hastened steps then into a run. He bumped into swarms of fruitless trees and tried his best to avoid tripping over uplifted roots. There was only one thing he would be doing tonight, and it didn't involve gossiping about kisses.

Elodea gritted his teeth, blood boiling to the brim. Anger hissed out of the deepest depths of his soul overwhelming the forest. It became ensnarled and entangled with his rage. Only one thought consumed his mind, bitterly.

He was going to skin an alligator, and make a fine pair of boots out of it.

* * *

Puntos hovered above the snack table and took whatever goodies pleased him. He placed a few salty chips on his paper plate then floated over the popcorn bowl and gave himself a generous serving. He tapped his webbed fin against his jaw and pondered whether to eat the chocolate chip cookies or the mini sugar powdered doughnuts. He decided on taking both, as it was the most sensible decision. Then he floated past the salad bowl, without as so much giving it a chance.

Madrid quickly swiped the plate from the air in hopes from others noticing. Tonight, Madrid was a chaperone at the dance. She was also a member of the trustee board at the local church in her spare time.

"Some party tonight! Am I right!" said another man who was also a chaperone tonight, to Madrid. He wore a glow stick necklace around his forehead. Then he eyed the paper plate of snacks Madrid was holding. Puntos wanted to smack him. "Are those doughnuts? Can I have one?"

Puntos growled a deep gurgled growl that the impudent man could not hear. A growl that only nen users would find irritable, and obnoxious.

Madrid happily nodded.

Puntos cried.

And the man happily ate a sugar-coated doughnut and went on his merry way.

It was then that Puntos decided to take up a fowl mood and sulk by himself at the end of the table, gorging on the remainder of his snacks, but with one less doughnut. A mournful and painful loss it truly was.

Madrid knew Puntos would get over it when he would finish his plate and go back for seconds. Until then, she sipped orange soda in a plastic cup. Thalassa floated down unto her shoulder, concerned.

"Do you think he will be alright?" Thalassa asked.

" _How odd of you to take up a concern for Puntos_ ," Madrid voiced internally as she continued to sip her drink. " _Well, a change of heart is always a good thing_."

"Oh no, not Puntos!" Thalassa yelped. "He could choke on several mini sugar-coated doughnuts for all I care!"

"I can hear you!" Puntos barked from at the end of the table.

"I know!" Thalassa barked back just as loud, then immediately collected herself. "I mean the boy. Elodea. Couldn't you feel that terrifying aura he is running head first towards."

" _I have_." Madrid said, plainly. She sipped her drink again. It was a bit lukewarm, maybe she should add some ice into it.

"Then its settled. We'll go after Elodea and stop him from becoming monster chow. Puntos, this is more important than snacks, hurry up and help-"

" _Thalassa, there is no need for us to interfere. We'll only be a hindrance to the boy. This is something he must do by himself_."

"But we're responsible for him!"

" _Which is exactly why we need to let him be and allow him to sort out his feelings. That's the whole point of him being here isn't it?_ "

"Yes, but with coming to terms about who he is and his adoption. Not to be shredded alive! I'd hate to return him to his father in a body bag. Heavens! Killua would never forgive us! He could crush my skull with his bare hands!"

Madrid did not doubt that. " _Where is your faith Thalassa? Elodea's stronger than you imagine_."

"But. But."

" _What other reason would he headed towards certain death, either he's stupid or who seeks vengeance to carry out_."

It was this moment when Thalassa understood Madrid's reasoning. If Elodea did intend to strike revenge, Madrid would wholeheartedly support him. It would be the same as Madrid's revenge against the rebels whom destroyed the islands. Though, at times she does not to admit it. In return, she obliterated every single one of the rebels off the face of the islands. "Then he's a stupid idiot who has a hopeless revenge complex that will send him way too early into his grave."

" _Thalassa_."

"I'm sorry, but these kind of hateful emotions are impulsive and deceitful things. They lead to brash decisions. Quickly regrettable decisions. He shouldn't be acting on them."

" _And it is on emotions in which majority of human's act upon. Humans acting on logic is ideal, not factual_."

"People shouldn't act on them then!"

" _But they do_."

"I like Elodea! And I'm going to save him! I prefer him over Puntos anyway!" Thalassa said, rather too triumphantly. Puntos bobbed up his head from the mention of his name, then grumbled to himself. Cursing all those that dare defy, but his doughnuts.

" _Alright, have fun. Notify me if things escalate. I'll be there in no time to assist if need be._ "

"Fine." Thalassa mumbled. She quickly flew above the dancing crowd and into the forest. Following Elodea's trace.

"Yes! She's gone!" Puntos exclaimed. "We should make up these excuses more often."

" _Hey_ ," Madrid voiced. She glanced at the forest and in her heart, she really was concerned for the boy. But if she did help him in completing his goal, his revenge, he would get nothing out of it. This was something that had to be done by himself. She understood far too well. Then she looked back at Puntos and stretched out her arm towards him, " _pass me a doughnut_."

Puntos eyed his plate, then Madrid, then back at his plate. There was only one doughnut left. And it was only reasonable that he should eat it all for himself. But this was Madrid he was talking to.

So, he split it in half.

* * *

Alligator hummed to himself, rather distastefully, resting after a scrumptious meal. He just finished off a flock of sheep (and the working dog too while it was trying to protect the sheep). He clawed at his teeth and pulled out a thread of wool. The thread stretched at least a foot out of his jaw. He was in such a hurry to eat, he neglected to clean his meat. Oh well. He rolled and flicked the pink, damp wool and tossed it into a pile of more pink, damp wool.

The Glutton King. That's the name everyone in the world was not familiar with, but he obnoxiously was.

Traveling the sea, he prided himself off finishing a giant squid in record time all after devouring two dueling swordfish just prior. And he was still hungry afterwards! He laughed to himself over what he thought was a victorious triumph. Disrupting schools of fish and competing against himself how many he could catch with his open jaw. Twenty. Fifty. One hundred. No one could beat him! (not that there was any other competition to compete with) Life out on sea was the best. It was a suitable home for a king, like himself, but it was lacking. It was lacking in what humans could give.

Just then his stomach growled, and he was not at all full as he originally thought he was. He could go for an after-dinner snack. But what dessert is worthy enough for a great king? He wafted the air and the scent immediately enticed him. He could smell more humans nearby and a drove of them too. A drove of young, fresh meat all conglomerated in one place.

Wait.

He raised his snout towards the starry sky. This unique scent was familiar.

He wafted the air, once, twice and tried to make the connection.

A star gleamed brightly over him, possibly indicating the wheels turning (rather slowly) in his head.

His wretched jaw twisted into a hideous smile as a figure began to reveal themselves from the shadows. "Ahhh, I remember you. You're that offspring of that hunter I failed to defeat in that city with the glimmering lights." Not that he could remember the name of the city, but he did remember eating something funky while swimming in its waters near the bridge. It tasted like muck and grime and Alligator was positive he has eaten much better things in the city's sewer canals.

Elodea remained silent as he intensified his aura and got into his fighting stance. Just like this father taught him.

Alligator steadied and pushed himself off the dirt ground. He stared down at the little human whose eyes were filled with anger and hatred solely for him. Humans are a hospitable bunch, aren't they? They provide dinner and a battle at the same time. At their own expense.

This is what makes the sea so lacking and what makes dry land so enticing.

* * *

She passed by this rock already.

And this tree and cactus and osprey nest with an abundant swarm of hatchlings. Oh! Thalassa gazed upon the baby birds and saw them now covered with soft down. They were nestlings now! How glorious!

No! This was no time to be distracted! There are lives at stake!

Thalassa, in her haste, made a wrong turn or several wrong turns. She was at the beach and far away from Elodea from which she initially intended.

She swiveled around in the air frantically.

Wait, now that she thought about it, she was powerless without Madrid….She wouldn't be any help to Elodea at all! Thalassa sank to the ground and landed on a small sand dune. She didn't think her plan out well enough. Dealing with chimera ants is a tricky business, but she just can't leave him there alone, while she is sitting idly.

She thumped her skull against the sand, frustrated.

She's lost and let down Elodea, simultaneously.

Suddenly, she felt the coldness of the waves brush against her. She quickly retreated into the air above and shook off the water that clung to her scales. She stared out into the ocean. The place where she first met Madrid which was the most spectacular event to happen in her life, along with Puntos which was the least spectacular.

Then she remembered of the story Madrid told her. Of the king to arrive on Kukan'yu shores given to the people by the ocean. There was a little superstition on the island, if one waits on the beach to watch the sunrise, they may be lucky enough to see a mirage of the great king traveling in his boat full of treasure. The ones to see him would be blessed with good fortune. Many have tried, but none have succeeded to see the king of long ago.

Thalassa immediately shook her skull back and forth and decided not to be distracted. She hurriedly flew away from the beach and back into the forest, determined to find Elodea.

Even though it is a silly superstition, isn't folklore and mythology rooted in some truth? In some ways? Why the missing in ancient times were called being spirited away only to return months or years later without an inkling as to the time that passed. Why healthy children were thought to be replaced with sickly changelings for their sudden and declining health, when they were really in the same place they always were. The same children to the same parents. The old suffering from aches and pains in their joints was thought to be the work of mischievous fairies who shot them with invisible arrows, which is arthritis that tags along with old age. A giant mound of stone and wood was thought to be made by the gods of the land and not to be touched in fear of avouching their wraith, when it was really built by a long ago and forgotten tribe who made it to respect and bury their dead.

Explanations to explain the unexplainable.

In this superstition of the king and the ocean, there is a truth. A small, hidden truth that began with a mighty and powerful civilization to inhabit the lands of the waters called Mobius, named after a boy who bore its name.

A civilization to rival those around it, spreading, growing, and claiming territory. The civilization was named after the girl who found this safe haven.

In her honor, it was named the Cayenne Civilization and it thrived for a very long time. It thrived for such a long time that it turned to the point where the Dark Continent became a fictitious idea for bed time stories rather than a legitimate power to be cowered and feared.

The Cayenne Civilization rose to great power. Historians studied the way its people lived, daily routines of farmers, merchants, and scholars. They studied their medicinal remedies, architecture of sewer canals and roads and slanted roofs. All those were studied in great depth, but the fall of this once great empire baffles even the most distinguished historians. The people of this once great land, just seemed to have arrived at an abrupt halt. No traces of epidemics, invaders, migrations, or natural disasters. Theories have been made, but none have arrived at a logical conclusion.

Although, there is a certain truth about all great civilizations that fulfil their due course. They rise. They thrive. Then they fall. The Cayenne's were no exception. It happened within this great empire's fall, that a new one sprung up from the abyss and rose to power. From this fall, a king was born.

Kukan'yu Kingdom's first king. A king, supposedly, gifted to the people by the ocean who drifted to shore clothed in fine robes and surrounded by jewels.

There is a truth in every myth, including this one. A truth that there was once a young man who was betrayed by his homeland that stole the only valuable treasure from his heart and another who was revered to be called blessed and sacred and cursed and bore its tremendous weight so others wouldn't.

The first young man did not love his home land. The second young man's love for his homeland made up for the first one's lack of it. The power they each held was enough to crumble the ruins and stones beneath their feet. Worthy of being both feared and awed, while only one of them would become the new king.

The story takes place in the center of this great civilization, in the capital known as Ettikaul, home to the elitists, oracles, and visionaries. One was an educated warrior and the other was a sacrificial lamb.

Both were responsible for Cayenne's Great Fall.

* * *

 **Thank you so much for reading! Did you like this chapter? I'd love to know your thoughts XD**

 **Expectations for the future include diving into more Cayenne history (woohoo!), a final face off between Elodea and a pair of leather boots- I mean-the chimera ant Alligator, desperately needed closure for Puntos and his doughnuts~~~~~~ okay, in all seriousness, the stakes are getting higher , secrets will be unveiled, and I hope you guys are enjoying the story! Thank you so much for reading, share your thoughts, and I will see you guys next time!**

 **Happy new year! 2018 is your year to shine bright! *hearts***


	38. Chapter 34: Fall x of the x Cayennes pt1

**Hi guys! *hugs***

 **I'm updating a week earlier than I initially planned. I planned to update on the 10th but I couldn't wait any longer lol There is an update scheduale on my story's blog, 'amongthewaterweeds,' I have a total of three chapters that I will be posting regularly, this month, March, and then April. I also give progress updates and other snippets of the story in there too, so check it out if you want XD**

 **ONCE AGAIN! I would like to give a fic recommendation! But not one, BUT TWO! HAHA Because why not share the love XD The first is called 'Heart's Desire' by Nayru Elric and basically it predates the events of the cannon following the lives of Gon and Killua. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! I SWEAR TO GOD IT IS AMAZING! It's only two chapters, but omg it pulls at your heart strings let me tell you LOL I loved reading it! You're going to be reading this story with a giant grin on your face like I was lol The author writes everyone 100 percent in character, personalities and quirks and all. I highly recommend it XD**

 **The second recommendation I would like to give, and it's probably not a surprise, but you guys (probably, maybe, hopefully) know that I LOOOOOOOOOVE 'Poisoned Amaryllis' by Kigamin (aka My lovely Yui! I LOVE YOU!) like I am so invested in this fic, it is my favorite gdjkfgdfg Not only do I love the dynamics between her Killua and her OC Hana (a precious gemstone, puppy, and badass hunter might I add ;D) but I am enraptured by the mystery and crime she weaves within it. I mean, the twists and turns and revelations are the best I have ever read and my eyes are always glued to the screen when reading it LOL her action scenes and nen battles are to die for like it is on the level of what you see in the official HXH story omg XD Yes, it's that good dfhdjkfg and I personally want to break the evil villain's hipbone (if you read PA and read the latest chapter than you would possibly know what I'm talking about, or not really, its a dumb joke I made okay never mind. JUST READ IT!) *takes out a giant megaphone, breathes* PLEASE READ THIS STORY IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR! LOL please support the stories you read, it lets the authors know that you care and it keeps the story going strong! Because I think we have that one (or several) fics that were our absolute favorite, but the last time they were updated was like in 2009, so yeah, support is key!**

 **Any-hoo! I hope you guys like this chapter! Happy reading!**

 _ **(Italics indicate flashback scenes)**_

* * *

 **Chapter 34: Fall x of the x Cayennes (part 1)**

At the site of the Cayenne Ruins, hunters were busy at work. Like they always were. Not that they weren't given any breaks or holidays. Eyes may be pointed narrowly to the head of the expedition project, specifically at Gon Freecss for their continuous arduous labor. When Gon had a lead idea, everyone knew that they would be working long hours and long nights and even longer days. That's not to say they minded the labor. This is when they perform their best. Also, the nearest doughnut & coffee shop was the busiest (and happiest) when the hunters were, and hunters needed thinking food. Preferably sugary thinking food, with sprinkles and jelly cream fillings. Gon thought to himself that he was taking up Killua's penchant for sweets. Soon he found himself dumping dozens of packets of sugar into his coffee. He was also starting to realize he _possibly_ had a problem when he was just tearing packets of sugar open and just eating them from there. He was turning into Killua. As much as he loves his dear brother in law, this did cause him some inner turmoil. Specifically, in his stomach. Currently, to ease his growing addiction. He sipped a plain cup of tea. No milk. No cream. No sugar. How sad.

He finished his bland beverage with a sour face and tossed the paper cup into the trash can. He may not have been enticed by the drink, but he was enticed by the recent discovery his team made. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he quickly prepared himself for an important analysis. Smocks and gloves and masks were worn by all the others in the room, standing around and examining the object of interest.

For all these hunters, solving the mystery of one of the greatest empire's tragedy was like a game. The thrill of finding one clue after the other. One step closer to unveiling the truth shrouded with darkness for thousands of years. Today was a landmark for the expedition, for they were one step closer to revealing the truth of Cayenne's demise.

Within a certain lab, certain artifacts were brought over. The lights in the room were deafening sharp yet provided no warmth. The coldness of the air consumed the room, creating the perfect environment for an autopsy to be performed. Well, an autopsy of a thousand-year old corpse. Several corpses. Which were all in excellent condition, due to the nen enchantments placed upon them.

The bodies were laid to rest within the inner region of Ettikaul, in an underground temple. Hundreds and hundreds of them. All finely dressed in silk robes, heads and wrists and necks adorned with medallions of jewels and pearls and gold. Mosaic pendants laid on each of their bare foreheads, pendants depicting the sun. Their hands clasped elegantly over their chests with herbs and incense placed into their palms. But the one that caught the keen interest of the hunters was the youngest of the corpses. The last one to die predating Cayenne's Great Fall. This one would reveal the unsolved truth for them.

Another odd feature sets this mummified body apart from the others. Unlike the others this was the only mummy that still had its heart intact inside its chest. All other vital organs remained as they were, but the heart should have been removed like the others before it. Upon examination, there was a single puncture wound that entered through the left shoulder and down into the mediastinum cavity, exiting posterior to the right ribcage. A quick death.

These were _Cayenne's Children_. Boys and girls chosen by the capital to embody the divinity of the great empress Caye herself. They were treated as gods and goddesses, prayed to and prayed for, they ensured the fortune and success of all those around them, for their home and people. And their final duty was the same as Caye's as she first stepped foot onto the new world called Mobius. A blade to their heart was all it took on the eve of their sixteenth year. They were known as the blessed, the sacred, and the cursed.

Gon peered down at the body of what used to be a sixteen-year-old boy, who was chosen to be one of the sacred children of Cayenne. Chosen to be the sacrificial lamb. He should have died like the others, a quick cut below the ribs would have indicated just that, but fate worked out differently for him.

He was murdered.

* * *

 _He shouldn't have slept in so late._

 _Or else he would have been able to avoid the dreadful fiend who he owes a fair amount of money to. Several month's rent he neglected to pay due to his sad, but not regretful habit of gambling dices and shells down at the taverns. It wasn't just gambling he was doing, he was talking, debating, arguing will all the modern thinkers within the city. Because the only logical place to find any of them gathered together was around a full barrel of beer. And beautiful women._

 _He opened his eyes just a bit and a hazy image appeared in front of him. In his disoriented state, he imagined it to be glaring and smoldering at him with steam hissing out of its mouth and ears. Could it possibly be a monstrous dragon to wake him up from his sleep?_

 _Ah, it was only his landlady._

 _"Get up! Get up! You lazy boy!" Shouted a very annoying woman. And the boy she was referring to was actually a twenty-three-year-old young man. He certainly doesn't have the body of a boy, but he reasoned that to an ancient creature such as herself everyone must look like babies to her. He would have thought how much longer she had on this earth, but something collided coldly against his back and head, leaving him and most importantly his mat, soaking wet._

 _He jumped up quickly like a frightened cat, shocked. At first, he was a little appalled to be thrown chilly water at, but this was the closest to a bath he's had in days. So, he was partially thankful for the impudent gesture. He wiped a hand over his face, droplets of water dripping from his hair. "I had a dream that the beautiful goddess of the river visited me, for a moment I thought I was spirited away, but I'm relieved to know it's just you to keep me grounded on this earth."_

 _"Where's the rent Yun? All the other tenants pay on time. All except you." The landlady said bitterly through gritted teeth, well, technically through the few the remaining teeth she had left which wasn't a lot. She sure gets down to business fast._

 _"Thenal, you've known me for years. I am the type of scoundrel to purposefully neglect to pay rent? I'll be sure to get the money you need for next month's rent on time. I promise." Yun said as he discarded his soaked-up clothes and began to change into new ones._

 _Thenal pulled out a knife from her bodice._

 _Goddess Caye, she's serious today. Just a few days ago she put a notice on his door, but now a knife. Yun shook his head to himself. Hospitality has died in Ettikaul._

 _"Apprentices of scribes are paid well. Yet you just happen to come back here with empty pockets."_

 _"How would you know? The city is full of crooks and thieves waiting in the dark alleys to take advantage on earnest and hardworking men. I could possibly be robbed every single night when I return from work!"_

 _"Not with those arms." Thenal retorted._

 _Yun looked down at his arms. She was right. He could stop a stampede of wildebeests with them. He cursed himself horribly for not coming up with a more believable lie._

 _Yun tied a maroon garb around his waist, symbolizing he was what she said he looked like, a scribe, a scholar of the high court, an insufferable idiot who neglects to pay rent. He was apprenticed under the scholar Tervum. Who was very, very picky about which pupils to take on and guide beneath his wings. But lately Tervum has gotten into a particular conundrum with influential public officials and has riled up the entire youth of Cayenne, which has landed him in the custody of the police. First, he decided to disown his home and possessions in order to live a material free life and to strengthen his connection with the mother earth free from the clutches of avarice and greed. Secondly, he also decided to live in a barrel. Disturbing the public peace with his indecency._

 _This was all the rage with the big thinking philosophers. Throwing away property and valuables and living in barrels._

 _Yun picked up his satchel and tossed Thenal a little bag. A little, jingling bag. The contents clattered as she weighed them in her hands. She opened it up and counted each and every coin. Stuffing them into her bodice. And when she was satisfied with the pay, so did her knife. "If you pay on time, we wouldn't have these scuttles."_

 _"And make our encounters less exciting? No, I wouldn't have it any other way."_

 _It seemed as if Thenal blushed, but he wasn't sure if dragons were capable of blushing. Thenal looked down and brushed the creases from her skirt with her crinkled hands. Back in the day, when Yun thought it was impossible for Thenal to be called a young maid, she had several children. Many of which who stayed in Ettikual by enlisting to become soldiers and missionaries. It was a known fact that anyone who fights against the soldiers of Cayenne either return home with their shields in their arms or return on them. Many of Thenal's children contributed to the latter. "Well, they do make my days less dreary."_

 _"Tell me Thenal, is the cazar road clear for travel? I'm in a hurry."_

 _Thenal rolled her eyes, "of course not, that ridiculous circus has taken up its entire residence. One after another. Everyone here feels they have to be entertained every minute of every day. It wasn't like this back in my day. We rose with the sun and fell with it, working diligently. Unlike your generation, wasting away one's youth at the circuses and taverns."_

 _Yun stopped listening after 'circus.' "What? It hasn't ended yet?" Yun said. To be honest, Yun loves the circus, but only when it is convenient for him and today it proved to be very inconvenient. "That only leaves with my less desirable choice."_

 _"And where are you off to in such a hurry?"_

 _"The amphitheater."_

 _Thanel began to hobble her way through the door, "It's another waste of time if you ask me. All ye do is watch lions chase goats and goats chase lions. The monotony of it all bores me."_

 _Yun strapped on his sandals quickly, swung open the door and stampeded down the stone staircase into the streets of Ettikaul. The streets were crowded with merchants selling goods of all kinds, valuable and others sold to look valuable, self-proclaimed oracles offering love spells, fortunes, and readings of one's future to the rich and wealthy. Musicians tinkering with the aura's of plants and animals, creating melodies, beautiful and silly, for passerby's to listen to and a bucket for them to offer up their monetary gratitude. Yun passed all of them with only one thought in his mind._

 _'He will be at the amphitheater today. I can't miss him.'_

* * *

 _The amphitheater was Ettikaul's greatest pride and joy, or at least one of the many pride and joys within Ettikaul. There was practically a holiday every other day, so extravagant feasts were common and so were entertainers like traveling circuses, fortune tellers, mystical nen performers, but most importantly, the amphitheater._

 _Yun looked upon the massive structure and how it scaled towards the ends of the sky. He watched as people made their way into the front entrance, people of all classes traveled into the inner city, on holiday of course, to witness the spectacular brawls that unveil within these stones walls._

 _A strict schedule maintained the order of the festivities. The light weight brawls would happen in the morning consisting of what Thenal called monotonous. Animals such as lions and tigers and hyenas would claw and bite at each other, sometimes exotic magical beasts would be brought into the arena like kirikos and horned elephants and platypus bears, but usually kirikos were found to be spectators at the event not dualists within them. Although, there were some famous kirikos within Ettikaul who became known for their fighting skills in the amphitheater. Yun, knows for certain. One such creature who has made a name for himself owns at least several dozen mansions with at least several dozen more mistresses within them. As the afternoon rises, human entertainment becomes the center of attention. Warriors and ex-soldiers and war prisoners are brought into the arena to dual. 'Battle to the death' was the most favorited by the people, but so was public humiliation. On most occasions the losers were disgraced by the throwing of rotten cabbages by the spectators._

 _The emperor, who always made it his job to attend the amphitheater daily, would throw the first cabbage._

 _Yun made his way past soldiers lined up to fight, and others who reeked of rotten cabbages. That used to be him standing in line, betting his life in the amphitheater. And on rotten cabbages. Well, it was better than losing one's head. Yun thought to himself while clamping his nose with his fist, tight. The scent was too nostalgic._

 _Another highlight of the afternoon, besides watching the epic duals between nen warriors and prisoners that truly roused the spectators. The highlight of the entire show was the public executions. Executions of corrupt politicians, villainous thieves and criminals, or officials and scholars that rubbed the emperor the wrong way._

 _Yun shoved and pushed his way through a crowd of praying thieves, convicts, and charlatans who were to be the center of attention within the coming afternoon. Yun yelled and barked at a guard to grant him permission of one of these highlights._

 _The guard narrowed his gaze at Yun. His gaze traveled towards his maroon sash and the insignia of 'a carrier of knowledge.' Realization came upon the man when he knew he was dealing with a scribe, a person who preserves the history and legacy of the written word of Caye. The guard, begrudgingly, unlocked the iron gate and let Yun pass through._

 _Yun slammed with fists unto the iron bars, summoning the attention of the occupant behind them. "What is wrong with you!?"_

 _The barrel wobbled an inch and then some._

 _"Tervum!" Yun barked. "I swear, if you don't get out of that barrel and face me, I will personally drag you out of it."_

 _Like a turtle, a head slowly surfaced out of the barrel. Then a neck and a body to go with it. The man of the barrel, who goes by the name of Tervum, furiously burrowed his eyebrows at his one and only pupil that dared to visit him in his confinement. He really should be thankful, but all he could muster was pure spite and anger towards his, one and only, pupil. To show his gratitude, he spat a large one in his star pupil's face. "How dare you show yourself to me. Traitor. After I've taught you all I know."_

 _The embers of a torch flickered and jumped off the wall, only to sizzle and dissipate on the ground. Yun wiped the remnants of his mentor's greeting off his face. "That's better." At least Tervum came out of the barrel. Baby steps at a time._

 _Yun removed a scroll from his satchel, which he hoped would catch the old man's interest. It didn't. Tervum began to sink back into his barrel and resume contemplating big, philosopher thoughts. Like why rivers only run downhill and not up; and why must they run when they could walk? If they run, did they start by crawling? So many questions filled up his mind, and his barrel._

 _An artery within Yun's head began to burst. Yun whipped open the scroll, furiously. "Here is a petition of one hundred signatures of friends and colleagues who are in support of your life, but are mainly against your execution. The final signature was almost impossible to get. There was so much arguing and yelling and bargaining, but I was able to acquire it just last night. You're welcome."_

 _Tervum quirked up an eyebrow, curious. "And whose was it?"_

 _"Allura's."_

 _Tervum's eyebrow rose even higher like the moon._

 _"Your wife's!"_

 _Tervum slammed his hand against his barrel, hard. "Curse that woman! Why would she do such an abominable thing to me!? Will she ever leave me to my own accord!" Tervum was surrounded by an endless abyss of betrayal. First his pupil and now his wife. How can one go on in such a cruel world?_

 _"Your wife, these signatures, these people, and I are here to save your life, but you seem more than eager to throw it away! This petition is legal in the eyes of the court and you can be forgiven. All this nonsense you've put yourself through will be overturned and you can go back into the streets of Ettikaul as the man you once were. Respected and dignified."_

 _Tervum breathed and looked up at the young boy. He spoke, barely. "What else will I have to do?"_

 _"You will have to make a public apology, retracting all the heresy you spoke against the high court officials."_

 _Tervum shook his head back and forth, frantically. "No. No. No. No. No. I cannot. You cannot make me. I stand by what I said to all those nitwits."_

 _"Do you wish to live or die!?"_

 _"Death would be kinder to me than to live the rest of my life upholding values I do not believe in!"_

 _"Why must you make everything so difficult? Stubbornness will be the end of you! All you must do is apologize. Apologize out there in the arena, to the emperor and officials. It's just a few words-_

 _"Yun," Tervum said, sternly. "You are young, and you may think you know all that I know. But you do not. You do not know all that I know and all that I don't know, and I feel, If I am to be executed out where the lions feed and graze, let it be not because I ruffled a few of the officials the wrong way, but because I have failed you as a master. I failed you as a teacher. As a human being. I failed to pass on the importance of our history."_

 _Yun rolled up the scroll of all one hundred signatures and stuffed it into his satchel, his spirit brimmed to the top with gloom and doom. He looked his mentor in the eyes with an icy stare and spoke gravely, "The spoken word is dead."_

 _A loud thud echoed through the prisoner's corridors that rung of frustration and anguish. Tervum's voice embodied rage as he spoke, "the spoken word is the only true word. You give power to death by saying it does. The spoken word is alive!"_

 _"The spoken word did nothing but imprison you! But these signatures of the written word will save you. They give meaning back into our language. There is life and power in these words. The times are changing, Tervum! Conservative thinkers of the old age like you are becoming less and less idolized and are thrown behind bars!"_

 _Suddenly, Yun focused his aura in the palm of his hands. Surging into his fingertips. He tapped his hand against the stone, cold walls and began writing sacred runes onto the walls. Breathing life into these words. Yun wrote a simple proverb, 'the blind speak only of darkness.' Evoking Tervum's wraith in the process._

 _"You are no student of mine!"_

 _The 'conundrum' that placed the once great thinker Tervum behind bars with the company of his barrel is because of the old versus new debate traveling and developing throughout the young minds of Cayenne. It is most commonly known as the ongoing dual between the old, spoken word and the new, written word. Tervum obviously supported the spoken word. He supported open debates with his students all in a circle, each and every one looking directly at the other in the eye. Everyone's aura would speak, together and simultaneously. Equality was the fundamental value in these debates, words would be exchanged back and forth. Individual voices would be heard. No one was forgotten. Oral traditions, rules and customs, and stories of the great ancestors of long ago, were told orally and passed down from one sacred storyteller to the other. The word was alive within these individuals. They carried truth and meaning within their hearts, wherever they went. They breathed life into the words they spoke, in their voices. And their nen carried them along larger distances for them to be heard. This was the spoken word. The spoken word which Tervum loved and would die for._

 _Yun, on the other hand, was in support of the written word. As a scribe, one of his duties is to document the history and sacred stories of the ancestors of the past. Soon, there began a shift in documentation. Recording victories of the past in scrolls, on parchment, in stone, and in temples. He believed there was power to the written word, in the practice of nen engraving and impressions. For documenting Cayenne's legacy was the only way to keep it alive and well and not have it be orally manipulated by vagabonds. The spoken word means nothing, not when it can be etched into stone and survive for all time. There was a beauty in seeing ones own words pulsate with life on the surface from which they were written. The power to transcend time was the written words power that far exceeded the spoken. A power that Tervum could not or would not possibly understand._

 _"The written word only brings isolation." Tervum said, "It silences the group, while raises up one individual. There is no equality in that."_

 _"But letting the entire group speak is like trying to have a conversation with someone across from you in the amphitheater over dozens of other conversations. Noisy and impossible. The spoken word brings confusion and discord, while written word brings clarity and understanding."_

 _"Yun," Tervum's voice spoke gruffly. "Thank you for visiting me. You may leave now."_

 _His one and only pupil cursed his mentor's name (and his barrel) and left. He no longer cared. It was not his fault he couldn't save him that old fool. He tried. He tried all he could._

 _Or at least he tried with all his might to convince himself that he did. At the moment of the trial, Yun sat all the way in the upper bleachers. He saw the backs of spectators and heard their cheers of the convicted. Then he saw his friend, his dear teacher thrust onto the platform as everyone screamed heresy._

 _Tervum was tried, rather unfairly, within the stone walls of the amphitheater. Rotten cabbages were held off until the final moment of the trial, whose outcome was obvious considering its location. No prisoner ever taking part in an amphitheater trail was ever tried to be innocent of all charges. The audience roared with excitement as the prisoner's sentence was issued. For his crime, Tervum was convicted of corrupting the young minds of the citizens of Cayenne._

 _Tervum's last words were muffled by the roar of the audience, screaming and yelling and barking like wild beasts for the death of a once great man. But they only saw him as an old, crazy hermit in a barrel. Tervum spoke words Yun wished he could hear. It also looked as if Tervum spat profusely at his executioner. He still had his fighting spirit. Poor guy._

 _As the sword rose, suspense filled the arena. Yun couldn't look away, and he imagined between the shifting figures of those chanting his friend's death, he saw Tervum look up at him and smile. Saying his final goodbye. Although Yun couldn't hear those final words, he heard the man's aura. It was calm and refined and spoke of dignity and respect. He was still the teacher, still the man Yun found a friend in. Yun was the only one to bow his head to Tervum. He stayed that way for quite some time._

 _The only suitable punishment for corrupting the minds of Cayenne was death._

 _Yun gritted his teeth as the audience roared while Tervum's aura silenced._

 _How he prayed to the Goddess Caye that it was the other way around._

* * *

 _Yun, swallowed by complete and utter despair, did the only thing he could do to ease his weakening spirit._

 _He went to the circus on cazar road._

 _Currently, he was looking rather grumpy sitting next to a pen of fluffy fox bear cubs wearing adorable little hats embroidered with stars. One fox cub nuzzled its nose against Yun's foot. It wanted to be petted or at least be given a treat. When it saw that it was going nowhere with the young man, the little cute fox cub moved on to a new target. A little girl who was holding a bag of snacks, consisting of roasted sweet potato slices._

 _The fox cub knew it made an excellent decision when the girl offered it a treat. Yun rolled his eyes at the ingenious little two-timer._

 _When the little girl had no more treats to give, the fox cub moved on once again. Yun altered his aura, making it playful and hopefully endearing to the cub. It didn't even bat a lash at him. Yun, gave up on using his aura, grabbed a torn bag lying on the ground and crumpled it up in his hands, mocking the sound of a delicious bag of snacks._

 _Finally, the fox cub whipped its tail around and ran towards Yun, tapping its paws against him. It bobbed its head up and down, left and right, side to side, in search of goodies. It found none, but Yun grabbed the little creature and cradled it in his arms and gave it a good scratch behind its ears. The cub happily complied and let itself be pampered. Although, it still wished it would be given a treat. Preferably something salty, like dried squid on a stick or salted cod fish._

 _Yun looked ahead and saw a group of performers putting on a show. One woman wielded a torch and manipulated the flame. Growing. Shrinking. Changing its shape and color. The crowd watched in amusement as she began to depict a fearsome beast covered in scales and claws. The woman, a professional actress, questioned the crowd and asked if there was a hero brave enough to stand up to the beast. The same little girl, who offered the sweet potato snacks to the fox cub, happily offered to defeat the beast. She rolled up her sleeves and readied her fists and conjured up the laughter of the audience in response._

 _Yun wanted her to give the fiery beast a black eye, mentally cheering her on with the fox cub in his lap._

 _The actress manipulated the flames of the beast and had it travel to the top of the tent, its tail blazing a fiery trail that singed some of the audience member's hair. It pounced in the air and roared a magnificent roar (That was graciously supplied by the stage and sound crew with their high tech, state of the art machinery the circus has to offer. Giant snail shells and bugle horns were the way to go for all mystical beast sounds.)_

 _The crowd cheered as the little girl was thrown a shield, making her look like a little warrior. Suddenly, the actress stepped up her game, wrung out her hands and wrists and commanded the beast to run straight towards the girl, and breath a tornado of fire._

 _The little girl quickly evaded the attack, out of the fire's way, rolling onto the ground brilliantly with her shield protecting her body. Her eyes fiercely locked onto the beast and suddenly realizing she had no tool for offense. She quickly whipped out a sword from a soldier's sheath and took a mighty stance against the beast._

 _Yun's jaw dropped (and so did majority of the crowd's), while the fox cub patted its paws against his knees in sheer anticipation. The fox cub was rooting for the girl whom offered it snacks. She, in its eyes, was a hero. It barked (cheered) for her victory._

 _The girl gripped her shield as the beast breathed a fiery storm at her. She hid behind a vase and planned strategically. Soon, when her window of opportunity arrived, the second when the fire stopped, and beast needed to breath. The girl swooped out from the protection of the vase and readied her sword. Thrusted into the heart of the monster, it keeled over and dissipated into ash. Vanquished and defeated. The girl raised up her shield and the crowd cheered for her victory._

 _For her victory against the beast, and for putting on an excellent show, the girl was given a prize of what looked to be a toy dragon. A small, wooden carving of an old, ancient beast with a painted face and body. Its head clacked forward and back and so did its jaw, revealing a sharp tongue and teeth. The girl smiled a toothy grin and made her way throughout the rest of the circus, a path already cleared by audience members for her. Possibly hoping to vanquish more beasts and win more prizes._

 _This is possibly when the first 'carnival games' appeared in history._

 _As Yun contemplated whether to take up arms against a fiery beast himself, the fox cub jumped out of his lap and into the crowd._

 _"Wait," cried Yun. He grabbed a bag of salted cod fish from a nearby stall and waved it in the air frantically, chasing after the cub. "I have snacks!"_

 _He hastily followed the aura of the cub as if it was a compass. He passed stall after stall, vendor after vendor, and a plethora more of nen entertainers like the woman who manipulated fire from the act before. He passed by a man who was surrounded by sheet of pressed papyrus. One by one, aura pulsated in the tips of his fingers. There a flick, a twirl, and a swipe. Suddenly what appeared in his hands was the papyrus cutting itself up and molding into whatever creation he had in mind. He crafted a necklace. A miniature raft. Then a beetle. He placed the paper beetle into the hands of a little boy, and a smile erupted on the boy's face when the beetle's wings began to flap and buzz and take flight._

 _Yun smiled to himself, as he was still chasing the fox cub, he witnessed the same trick a long time ago at the circus with his family. His smile began to slowly falter and so did his running. He stood still in the crowd and stared down at the back of salted fish in his hands. For a moment, he scorned himself for getting distracted, by chasing the fox cub, by venturing to the circus on more than one occasion, by becoming entangled within the politics and rumors of the high court._

 _He let himself forget why he decided to live in Ettikaul in the first place. He threw the bag of fish onto the ground and gritted his teeth. He was almost out of time and here he was fooling around and wasting it. Yun may have failed to save Tervum, but he wasn't going to fail this time._

 _The sound of ocean waves enveloped his ears. It was an enchanting aura he swore he would never forget the sound of. His heart beat fast as the bearer of the sound became obvious, with the fox cub happily sitting on his lap._

 _The bearer was adorned in silk robes and jewels, with a medallion of the sun over his chest. His hair was the color of the sun and shined golden yellow like the same flowers that bear its name. Then his smile, the most radiant of them all. Yun immediately remembered his purpose being in Ettikaul. The feeling overwhelmed his body and soul as he began to make his way towards the boy._

 _The guards surrounding the little sun noticed Yun's presence right away and unsheathed their swords in response._

 _"Stand down," said the boy. The fox cub nuzzled its nose in the palm of his hand, possibly searching for a treat. It couldn't find one. Maybe it should try the other hand? It did just that. "He's harmless."_

 _The guards, reluctantly, retreated. But their swords were still unsheathed as their eyes locked onto Yun, already labeling him as a threat. One guard scoffed at Yun. Yun ignored him._

 _"Are you sure?" asked Yun, playfully. "They seem to think otherwise."_

 _"Hmmm, you do have a point." The boy quirked up his eyebrow and scratched his chin. His bodyguards were certainly dull, but they were to be trusted. He might as well put Yun to the test to prove his guards wrong. "come closer and close your eyes."_

 _Yun did just that, angering a few guards in the process. Then he kneeled in front of the boy and suddenly he was met with a moist sensation on his nose. Yun opened his eyes and realized the fox cub was becoming well acquainted with it. It licked Yun's nose and the boy giggled in response. Yun kneeled there, dumfounded._

 _"It certainly thinks your safe!" the boy laughed._

 _"It thinks I'm a snack." Yun retorted._

 _"Well, you are certainly bitter. I can tell that much from your aura. It certainly has changed over the years. Although, bitterness is not the best quality for snacks to be honest."_

 _The fox cub wagged its tail and stared up at the two humans, oblivious to the conversation going on. Then it made up its mind to run off, seeing as though they have forgotten about it._

 _The boy pouted from its absence, "I guess it didn't want to stay in our company."_

 _"No worries," Yun said, patting the boy on his head. "You still have me."_

 _The boy continued to pout and sigh once more, dramatically._

 _"…"_

 _"Kidding," the boy smiled. "Well, if I were to compare the two, I'd rather have my brother by my side than a cub."_

 _Yun felt his spirit rise, triumphantly._

 _"I mean, I have so many more fox cubs back home. Surely, I'd miss them much more than a fox cub I'd just met today." But then he thought of adopting the circus cub. A twelfth cub to his family wouldn't make that much of a difference. It would make his home livelier, but it would certainly annoy his advisors… He decided that he would adopt the cub._

 _Then Yun's spirit plummeted just as fast._

 _Seeing the look on the other's face caused both of them to erupt into a fit of laughter. Just then, Yun embraced his younger brother, and painfully remembered the last time he felt this way. The last time he hugged his brother was eight years. Eight years before his brother was taken away from him by the high court to enter the city of Ettikaul. Eight years ago, when Astra was chosen to be a child of Cayenne. Chosen to be sacrificed for the good of the empire. To bear the burden of being one of the sacred, one of the blessed, and one of the cursed. It disgusted Yun. This nauseating sensation filled all the crevices of his heart. Yet, his brother was finally in his arms._

 _"Astra," Yun said, tenderly. "I'm so happy to see you again."_

 _"Me too, brother."_

 _Yun also wanted to tell his brother that he was scared, but words failed him to do so. Instead, he held unto his brother, who knows for how long. Deep in his heart, he knew he was the same as the fiery monster conjured by the actress from the show before. He would claw, he would scream, and he would fight anyone who was foolish enough to take all that he held dear to him. He may have failed to take back Tervum, but he wasn't going to fail with Astra._

 _Astra, handed over from his family at the age of seven, now belonged to Ettikaul. Astra belonged to the Goddess Caye. Yun knew that if his plan were to succeed, it would be considered treason against not only his home, but to Caye herself and all the gods above._

 _He was going to take back his brother, no matter what. Even if it meant endangering his immortal soul and evoking the wraith of the gods._

 _Yun held his hands, tight._

 _He was going to save his brother, and be rid of this rotten city._

* * *

Gen didn't know much about ancient civilizations or thousand years old corpses, but he was very knowledgeable about the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll lollipop. Right now, he was on his 87th lick. No one, not even the scientists, hunters, excavators or daddy (who seemed to be really excited about whatever news that was being projected onto the big screen) was going to interfere with his experiment. Gen thought that his discovery may even outshine that of the Cayenne Civilization. Just in case, when Gen discovers the exact number it takes, he will have to tell no one. This was top secret information and people were prone to copy off one another and take credit for said discovery. Like Susan, who tried to copy off Gen's spelling quiz in class.

Gen pouted to himself. It wasn't fair. Susan can't even spell 'egg,' and it just so happened on a day when Gen got a huge headache (from staying up too late, half past eight, working on his list to shove in Elodea's face) that he too was having trouble spelling the same word. Which is very unlike him. He was used to spelling big words like 'cadaver,' 'guillotine,'' nunnery,' and 'homicide,' granted many of the words that made his vocabulary very colorful all came from Shakespearian works. Now that he thought about it, 'egg' was a difficult word. If one gets caught up in debating between one g or two, it become a very hard word to spell!

Susan ended up blaming Gen that he was the reason she misspelled the word. Gen decided that he hates Susan, and decided that he no longer cares that her mother packs Twinkies in her lunch box every day. Even though the Twinkies were very promising (and delicious), Gen can't be associated with a cheater. He earns gold stars in class every day and if his star count were to slip, he would surely regret it later on.

Kindergarten is a jungle. Gen thought to himself, very seriously.

Soon, Gen smiled from ear to ear as he finally made it into the chocolate center on his 107th lick. That will show Bobby Johansson (the boy he sits next to in Mrs. Merry's art class who always tries to eat glue whenever they work with popsicle sticks and googly eyes. Bobby is a good kid, according to Gen). Bobby told him it only takes 90 licks, but Gen seems to have proven him wrong!

As Gen hummed happily to himself and enjoyed his delicious victory, Alluka (his sweet mumzie) held unto his hand.

Gen, Alluka, and the hunters looked at the projector in front of the room as a pixelated image began to form on in. Forensic scientists alongside artists were able to extract critical genetic information from the corpse of interest, the last Child of Cayenne before the fall occurred.

Gen tugged on Alluka's hand, impatient. "Mommy, I want to go to the library." Usually kids beg their parents to take them to the toy store, and although that was a reasonable choice to Gen as well, the library was more of his cup of tea. Not that he likes tea. Ew. The library was more of his cup of hot chocolate. Ah, much better.

"I'll take you there as soon as the presentation is over. Okay?"

"Okay…" Gen said, defeated. "But I have to finish reading _A Midsummer Night's Dream_ , Bottom just got turned into a donkey and things are not working out between him and Titania." Their relationship is on the rocks, but there wasn't really one to begin with. Gen shook his head, dramatically.

"Don't worry," said Alluka. She was going to say that there is a donkey in all of us, but in the presence of her sweet six-year-old son, she refrained from doing so. "They will still be there when you get back."

"I hope so!" Gen said, a little too loudly. Gen was at this sweet and tender age that he thought it was possible for characters in the television to pop right out of it and come and go as they please. Gen knew it was a definite truth with television, because someone keeps eating all the cookies in the cookie jar and it was obviously the cookie monster. That's what his daddy keeps telling him anyway, (with cookie crumbs haphazardly smeared around his mouth. That man and his growing sugar addiction), but he was still debating whether characters can leave a book. Gen thought otherwise, because it had something to do with the space time continuum or because books are closed most of the time, so characters have a harder time squeezing through the pages to leave.

Now, Gen was busy chewing on the chocolate center when the image pixelized on the screen. This was also when his father, Gon Freecss, began to say that the Cayenne's valued nen users, and the most common type of nen users were, in fact, manipulators. Warriors, performers, scholars, artisans and so much more. Gen slowly rolled his eyes. Sure, it seemed that everyone around him could use nen and these seriously old people from way back when were even manipulators too. Everyone except him! This fact slightly stung Gen in his heart, how badly he wanted to use nen, but mostly he wanted to be a manipulator like Elodea. From his negative result on the LP paper test, he can't even use nen! Gen cracked the piece of chocolate in his mouth, hard. Now he was constantly reminded about it with the 'Cayennes' and their 'civilization' and his dad's 'enthusiastic attitude' towards telling about it. Gen sadly sighed to himself when he realized he finished off his lollipop. All he was left with was the stick.

On the screen, the image slowly blurred and began to take shape. Everyone seemed to be really excited, all except Gen. Lines were beginning to become clear and colors began to enhance. Gen first caught site of the boy's golden hair and the curvature of his lips.

The picture became crystal clear, revealing the face of the boy who once lived a long time ago. His eyes were closed, but it simply looked like he was taking a nap. Ready to awake at any moment. He was the epitome of the sun. All the hunters in the room clapped and congratulated the other on a job well done. One step closer to revealing the truth.

Alluka said, "Isn't he pretty Gen? Hm? Gumdrop, what's wrong?" Alluka bent down and kneeled towards her son, caressing her hand on his cheek. "Why are you crying?"

Gen's lips quivered as he brought up a hand to his eyes. They were wet and damp and tears rolled down his cheeks, and they plopped onto the floor one by one. "Mommy. He's alone. He's always alone, mommy." Gen cried softly, but he said nothing more than that.

All he knew was that he was overcome with a sudden wave of sadness looking at the boy who was as beautiful as the sun. The boy who lived a very long time ago. Gen's heart ached horribly for the first time, for the boy up on the screen.

A deep, aching sadness.

* * *

 **THANK YOU FOR READING! *high fives* What are your thoughts? XD**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! The next update is planned to be on March 10th and then April 14th, but they could be subject to change like this one. SO! I would love to know your thoughts please *puppy eyes*, and thank you so much for the favs and follows! It means so much XD**

 **See you guys next time! Bye!**


	39. Chapter 35: Fall x of the x Cayennes pt2

_Italics indicate flashbacks_

* * *

 **Chapter 35: Fall x of the x Cayennes (part 2) **

_They were here._

 _Pounding on the door like wild beasts stalking their prey. Growling. Sneering. Clawing. Shredding the other limb from limb if need be. After all, the first soldier to acquire the prized child would be heavily rewarded._

 _And to Yun, he saw them as those vicious monsters. Those guards who wore the sacred insignia of the fiery star in the sky above who carried out their duties in the name of the high court, in the name of the Great Empress Caye herself. A goddess who gave peace and a bountiful land to her people, away from the treacherous and thorny dark lands that float beyond the stormy seas. A land that Yun only heard about in bed time stories, when his parents were still alive to tell them. To Yun, the guards embodied all the vile and vice of those dark lands._

 _They were here. Searching for the next child of Cayenne._

 _They pounded on the door again, sending tremors that made the house quiver. An earthquake carried in the palm of their hands._

 _Yun's breath hitched erratically as he pushed his younger brother into a hole he dug out near the hearth the night prior, when he heard the so called joyous news of the previous sacred child's ascendance to Her. While the rest of Cayenne was high on mighty pompous and celebration. Yun felt the icy winds of the wicked penetrate deep through his soul. It was tradition that the cursed child, held so high on a pedestal, was sacrificed on the eve of their sixteenth year. Now, they were looking for another, a child of a certain age. An age when a child believes the world to be much kinder than they are led to believe. Preferably, a child under the age of ten. Yun, thankfully, was too old to qualify. He was fifteen. An age where one is no longer looked down upon like a child, but did not receive the respect of an adult. Yun was stuck in this useless and futile gap. His younger brother, Astra, unfortunately was qualified. He was eight. Yun feared if the guards and high priest were to lay eyes on his brother. They would see him as he did. Perfection. A soul who embodied the warmth and beauty of the sun. A kindred spirit overflowing with a bountiful and giving heart._

 _And that terrified Yun._

 _If they saw his brother, Astra would surely be picked. Yun cursed and scorned Caye's name. How dare she demand a child to bear the world's suffering on her behalf. Then Yun pleaded and blessed her name, let her pick any other child there is in Cayenne, just not his brother. Anyone but his bother. Astra is all he has left. The only family dear to him._

 _Yun is all Astra has left. He begged that the malevolence of Ettikaul would not take away his brother's kindness. Yun begged that Caye would find it in her heart to not force this sacred duty upon them. Leave his brother alone! Yun pleaded and begged, miserably._

 _The hole was hidden beneath an old and ragged tarp he bought at the market. In which a merchant eagerly swindled him out of a good deal. He dug the hole out with a shovel made from an elephant's tusk, and his fingers when he was overcome with apprehension. Fingers shaking. Wrists quivering. Eyes darting. The finished hole was too small, but so was his brother. Astra wept as Yun forcefully shut the panel down. Hitting the young child's head in the process._

 _Yun quickly draped the tarp over the panel and smoothed out its edges. His chest burned as his lungs grappled for air in his panicked state._

 _They will not take him. They will not take him. They will not take him._

' _They will not take him from me.'_

 _Yun sat over the tarp facing the door, staring at it as the lock began to jut out from its hinges. He held a knife, that once belonged to his father, in one hand and in the other, which belonged solely to himself, a will to fight. Finally, his heart laid under the tarp and under the panel. Hidden and tucked away in a small hole._

 _He will protect his only treasure, breathing and beating down in that hole._

 _The hinges cracked, and the wood splintered off the door. Yun tightened his grip around the knife._ _The monsters entered, and he pounced. All fire and fiery._

 _He will slay the beasts that dare steal his heart._

* * *

It was better to build up an appetite before a meal, Alligator thought to himself. Although, he didn't think he was patient enough to await. But he would make it so. His jaw curled into that of a smile, showing his sharpened teeth recently stained red.

An explosive mist of white steam surrounded Elodea, activating his Ren. Ren, a technique that amplifies the nen user's strength, it is also used to show power while intimidating one's opponent. While Elodea hoped to induce dread within the chimera ant, the reaction was quite the opposite. Alligator's eyes rolled back. Making his irises barely visible, taking on the appearance of a dead man. A laughing dead man intoxicated with pleasure.

Alligator lifted a hand over his eye, the one blinded by the hunter from the battle in the city of glimmering lights. This was not just a battle to build up an appetite, it's also a time to get even.

A young voice spoke gravely, cutting off Alligator's (self-proclaimed) majestic internal monologue. Elodea's voice was cold and stoic. His tightened his fists. "Do you remember me?"

Alligator cackled, "How could I forget the child of the hunter who defied me? Scorched my skin and ruined my eye. My name is Alligator and I am the glutton k-"

"Shut up." Elodea cut the creature off. "My father was the last hunter deployed to capture you that night in Diamond City, ordered by the Hunter Association… and failed, after that the case went cold. The damage you've dealt onto him is irreversible." Elodea gritted his teeth, seething with anger as his aura ensnarled the air around him.

"Oh, he's alive." Then there was a hopeful possibility for Alligator to fight the hunter again in the future. He would like a second chance to sink his fangs into such a formidable human.

"It's your fault." Elodea hissed, barely audible. Aura burst out from the boy, touching the ends of the dark sky. It was all alligator's fault, the reason Killua would be confined to a wheelchair, destined to walked in crushes, foreshadowing the day when he will truly lose the ability to walk altogether. The look on his father's face when he found out, trying to hide his worry. Masking it with a smile like he always does. Pretending it wasn't Elodea's fault. Elodea bellowed his voice with a mighty force. "It's all your fault!"

The chimera ant stepped back as a wave of nen struck him.

The wind became enraptured in Elodea's hatred for the creature. Branches curved, spiraling towards his aura. There was something different about the boy. Alligator could feel it seething past his scales and skin. Straight towards his heart. This was not the scared child he remembered.

He smirked. This fight would be entertaining after all.

"My father was supposed to capture you, but…" Elodea's eyes burned, searing with revenge. "I'll finish where he left off." Regardless of what the Association wants. Monsters like these shouldn't be allowed to exist. The Association will never even know the chimera ant was here.

Alligator was the first to pounce, opening his jaw containing a thousand razor blades. Elodea breathed and analyzed the move within the one second window he had. The ant was all brawn and no brain. Its tactics were simple, head on and plain. Elodea engulfed his fist with aura, using the principles of Ko to strengthen the power within his hand, leaving the rest of his body defenseless. But that did not matter to him. His first crashed against the top of Alligator's skull. The beast collided against the rubble of the world below him. The ground trembled and Elodea jumped back.

His breathed hitched, realizing the gravity of his actions. Elodea was able to knock a blow against the monster, but his success was quickly outshined when the monster rose from the rubble. The beast barely flinched. That thing cackled wildly. It was going to take so much more than one lucky punch to defeat the chimera ant.

Elodea rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, a habit overcoming his mind when he is anxious.

Alligator's tail swerved briskly, cutting the air.

Elodea dodged. Scales barely caressing his forehead.

"Is that all?" Alligator cackled. "That hunter did not teach you well." It brushed off the debris from it's head, flicking off the pebbles stuck below its jaw. The punch served by the boy was a nuisance at most, and made its scales slightly itch. Alligator scratched its scales.

 _He taught me more than you ever need to know_ , Elodea thought bitterly. Elodea's eyes scorned the ant. Slowly, his steps followed a single, curved path. His movements were smooth and even. And they followed behind him, obediently.

 _Rhythm Echo_.

Alligator mused the boy's little trick. Soon he was surrounded by a crowd, illusions he suspected, of the young boy. They encircled him, locking their hatred onto him. Alligator could easily tell that that appearance of a hundred boys was nothing more than a trick to fool the eyes. But he wouldn't let the boy know. So he pretended to be startled, not knowing where the real one was. Then when the boy lets his guard down, that is when Alligator will strike.

The shadows came closer and closer to Alligator, throwing punches and kicks that he skillfully dodged. When he smelled true flesh and blood encounter his own he locked onto the boy's arm, firm. Alligator propelled Elodea and shot him through the air. Sending the shadows vanishing and the boy crashing into a nearby lake. The boy skidded across the water, finally sinking under a cataract whose force continuously disturbed the tranquility of the lake, and him trapped in the spiraling rapids within it.

Alligator jumped into the lake, swimming rapidly into his home territory. A territory he is profoundly familiar with. A territory where he knows he always comes out victorious.

Elodea grappled onto a rock, breathing heavily. Aura intensified as his lungs begged for air. A wave crashed against his face, his vision blurred by the crash. In the next instant, he was shrouded in darkness as a wall of sharp knives sunk into his fresh. The water twisted and turned as Alligator devoured his prey.

The fight was over.

* * *

 _Yun only had himself to blame._

 _He blamed himself that it was foolish to think a hole dug in the ground would suffice protecting his brother. He blamed himself for being innocent, for thinking that monsters would give up the hunt if they couldn't see their prey. He blamed himself for still being a child, living in a frustrating gap and not knowing the strength of men. (he truly learned their strength that day, especially in his head and jaw. A bloody mess.) He did not know men could be beasts, yet still call themselves human. Proclaiming the good in their putrid acts._

 _He forbore the compensation he received upon his brother's acceptance into Ettikaul as the new child of Cayenne. While all of Cayenne cheered, Yun mourned._

 _Months after Astra's departure, after crying and starving in solitude, Yun took the compensation and devised a plan. A plan for him to enter Ettikaul and take back his brother. He enrolled to be a soldier and when he made a name for himself in the amphitheater, he enlisted to be a scribe's apprentice, in order to have access to the high court where the sacred children are always stowed away like cattle._

 _Unfortunately, plans are well thought out, but are rarely executed in a perfect manner. Yun was not able to become a scribe's apprentice until his 20_ _th_ _year. Yun may have had the financial backing to stay in Ettikaul, from the compensation (which soon ran out) and his participation in the Amphitheatre, there were no scribes who were enticed by his brute and forceful nature. No masters who favored his cheekiness and arrogance. Until a very unorthodox scholar by the name of Tervum, who thought that Yun was the perfect disciple he was searching for._

 _Open minded and with a voice as loud as the ocean's waves. Greater than any storm loaming over the seas. Tervum apprenticed Yun for three long years. Earning not only a student, but a friend as well._

 _Sadly, upon the most recent and alarming issue to spread throughout all of Cayenne; was the ferocious clash between the old and new words, the written and spoken words. People took sides and suddenly Ettikaul became divided between these two ways of thinking. Yun believed the written word, while Tervum believed the spoken word. Neither would give into the other, and were divided because of it._

 _Tervum was executed while his student watched, and the crowd of the amphitheater cheered._

 _Today, Yun was sitting with those same people who ordered for his teacher's death. All of them were former colleagues and friends of Tervum, but their allegiances shined brightly as to which side they turned to. Which side meant forsaking their pride and keeping their heads unto their necks. Court positions were becoming filled with individuals who believed in the written word, while those who supported the spoken word were kicked out, thrown behind bars, or were physically persuaded to switch sides._

 _These were also the scum that stole his brother. Yun pretended to laugh at dull jokes and smiled at the same uninteresting people who told them. After running into Astra at the circus he was invited to a feast, celebrating the reunion of two brothers. With advisors and guards and politicians and scribes. Yun thought they should have invited the dogs too._

 _A feast was spread out in front of Yun. Succulent, roast chickens fattened on grain and wheat laid upon platters in front of him. Their skin crunched and glistened under the fiery light of the torches. Whole lambs on skewers seasoned with cloves of garlic were surrounded by ripe fruit, apples and pears and cranberries. There were even baskets of bread and cheese and butter that Yun could hardly avert his eyes from. Yun thought it was impossible for anyone to finish this entire feast, he knew his stomach was an endless pit, but not even he could eat this much. Yun was positive that whatever the attendants couldn't finish was thrown to the dogs and wild boars and especially to the livestock, to keep them happy and fat. Feasting on their own kind to eventually become dinner on someone else's plate. Then to be thrown back into the pen, as scraps of giblets and bones._

 _Yun looked over to his brother Astra who was sitting at the far end of the table surrounded by advisors and guards (big and muscular and especially dimwitted guards). Only a few pieces of fruit laid on his brother's plate. One attendee gossiped to Yun, upsettably, that Astra is a vegetarian and refuses to eat meat. Which was a distressing issue among the members of the high court and priests. They constantly worried over Astra's pickiness. Were the cattle not healthy? The chickens too thin? Or the ox too sickly? Was this a premonition of a coming drought or plague? This represented a bad omen and fear ensnarled the court and all of Cayenne, but it was their duty to abide by the child's wishes. Sacred as they were. Although, Astra's appetite for milk and eggs greatly relieved the court. This meant it was an excellent year of prosperity for chickens. On the far end of the table, there were only sliced fruit and bean pies and bread. And a greater year of prosperity for bakers._

 _Yun could barely make a out a word to his brother. It took him years to get this close, yet it still felt as if an ocean stood between them._

" _Yun," A man said, and from the look of his scruffy beard, he is most likely an ill-advised advisor. "You are a scribe, correct? Under what master have you studied from?" The man said, distastefully._

" _A highly underappreciated man, intelligent beyond his years (and a little crazy.)" Yun's gaze turned cold and bleak, directly towards the impudent man. "His name was Tervum who resided in the walls of your pristine city (and in later years a barrel.) He was executed in the Amphitheatre under the high court's command."_

 _Voices silenced, and heads turned down and away from the table. Traits of the guilty. But the man continued to speak, sharing his opinion that should have stayed in his head, "Tervum? Ha! He was corrupting the minds of the youth, manipulating their minds to stay with the old and to fear the future. How can we move into the future if we cannot let go of the past?"_

" _But silencing the voices who served as the foundations of our customs isn't the kind of future we should be building. The new can only be built by understanding the past, realizing the faults and adjusting it to our needs today."_

 _The man crushed a walnut in his hand, the chips pulverized into sand, flowing out between the crevices of his fingers. "This is 'adjusting' to our needs. Out with the old and in with the new. Tervum deserved his consequence, and his death serves as a message to all those who wish to follow in his footsteps."_

 _Yun growled, "Then what of the consequences for the ancient and senile. Will you be your own executioner as well?"_

 _The man's face flushed a deep red, like the sun when it dips into the horizon. He roared angrily, slamming his fist unto the table. Glasses of wine trembled, their contents rippled, and their bearers sipped intriguingly to the argument ahead. "A true disciple follows his master no matter which path he walks, even if it is death! You betrayed your master when you cowardly fled his side."_

" _Tervum taught me to reason, to stand by my thoughts even if the world should be against them. Even thought our thoughts greatly differed. He stood by his own, even when a sword was raised to his neck. He taught me to think, not to follow orders without a word. That is what the likes of you are for. He was your colleague and you chose to be cowardly."_

 _A woman was stuffing grape after grape into her mouth eyeing the two debate the other. She was betting on the young boy to come out victorious. And to punch the man with the beard right in the nose. If he wasn't, she was. She never liked his attitude._

" _You insolent brat!" Just as the man swung his arm in the air, ready to strike. A voice called out from the end of the table._

" _Enough." Astra said, all eyes locked unto to him. He could feel the weight of their pressure. A pressure that he soon learned to cope with when he first entered Ettikaul. A quarter of the room heavily agreed and wanted the fight to stop. The other quarter wanted it to continue, for no one was thrown into the fountain yet. Which would notoriously be the highlight of the evening. The remaining occupants were too preoccupied nibbling on chicken bones and mutton, munching on the food in the dead silence of the room. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Sitting peacefully next to the other, regardless of their views. The table should be a place for everyone to come together and replenish their spirits, not exhaust them." Then he smiled. "It would be a waste to the chefs who made the food for it all to go to waste. So please, enjoy yourselves."_

 _The ill-advised advisor huffed and sipped his wine. If he was twenty years younger, he would have been able to deal with a rambunctious young man liked Yun. Then he glanced at the boy's biceps and strong build. He gulped. If he was twenty-five years younger, he would certainly show Yun who's boss._

" _Everyone," Yun said, delightfully, folding his hands under his chin. "Did you know, my brother used to be Aittikaul's most beloved magician. People would travel for miles just to witness a moment of his performances."_

 _The table awed and oohed, excitedly. But the ill-advised advisor snorted, noticeably. The man spoke highly, combing his beard with his fingers, acting as if it was his business to know everyone else's business. Well, this man is a politician after all. Nosy people. He spoke to Yun, condescending, "A performer…that is not a respectable profession."_

" _I was a performer," Yun corrected. "I haven't performed for a crowd in years. I'm now a scribe writing texts and epistles in the temples. A respectable profession."_

" _Why not break those rusty chains and show us some old tricks." Astra smiled, lightly. "I've always loved watching you work. Your enthusiasm. Dedication. Creativity."_

 _The advisor grumbled, "What has become of our temples, letting babbling monkeys preserve our most sacred traditions. What nonsense. They must be in desperate need of staff." He nudged a guest next to him, jokingly. Even though he was the only one laughing._

 _The old fool wasn't listening. Yun scoffed, internally. Soon the old man had the whole table riled up, begging Yun to entertain them. He was about to throw a drink at the man's face, not until he saw the sweet expression of his brother. He looked eager too. It's been years since Astra has seen his brother use nen. Astra remembered when the two used to stand in the market together. Astra would hold a basket, collecting money, while Yun enticed the crowds with his show._

" _For old time's sake?" Astra asked, tenderly. "Please." His irises sparkled like that of a new born fox cub. Glittering with joy and love and adorableness. A cheap tactic, but Yun could never say no to his little brother._

 _Yun flushed. Standing up from his seat, reluctantly. Everyone cheered. Yun requested for several animals to be brought into the room. He ordered for whatever the servants had in stock. He received many fox cubs, three chickens, two snakes, and one platypus bear. He was hoping they'd bring in a bore, but the old man with the beard to his left would suffice._

 _The animals squirmed around the room. Fox cubs scampering around, chickens bobbing their heads, snakes hiding, and the bear simply yawned and curled up to take a nap next to an elderly man. It laid its head upon his legs, the man was frightened, but the bear was tired._

 _Yun raised his hands, while everyone else looked at the other skeptically. Not knowing what to expect. A white mist surrounded his hands, suddenly weaving into single silver threads; strands of moon light. With a flick of his fingers, the strands pounced and stretched and connected to each of the animals. To their heads and arms and legs._

 _Then they faded. As if they weren't there at all._

 _Each occupant eyed the other. Was this the end of the show already?_

" _You there madam, would you be so kind as to assist me."_

" _Me?" the woman asked, bashfully. "But I'm not prepared and I'm not very good at entertaining." She stood and fixed her hair, standing by Yun's side in less than a second._

 _Just when Yun raised his arms, so did the fox cubs. Their heads rose together, synchronized and each followed the other, nose to tail and nose to tail. Trotting and marching around the room, with the pitter patter of their paws hitting the ground. Then, plopped on top of the other, forming a fluffy tower. The last fox cub at the top of the tower, stretched out its paw towards the woman, to shake her hand._

" _What a clever dear," the woman gushed, and all the tabled laughed, except the ill-advised advisor. Yun caught his stare and with another twirl of his wrists, he had the cubs jump down one by one. Performing backwards summer salts and landing on their front paws, walking on two legs. Then one pup, absolutely not under Yun's influence, jumped onto the advisor's lap and left a parting gift. That left a stain in the man's tunic._

 _The table roared in laughter. Yun was always great at embarrassing dimwitted guests in his shows. Suddenly, memories flooded into his head. This was how he and his brother earned money. This was their staple for survival. Yun performed in the market, and Astra collected the money and enticed guests and made crowds bigger and bigger with every show. Astra brought in the crowd, a shepherd herding his sheep. And all Yun had to do was entertain. It was no lifestyle that was looked well upon, but it was just him and his brother. He was happy._

 _Moonlight strings that no one could see attached to the snakes. They bit the other's tail, forming a ring. Then the chickens and the cubs jumped through the ring, one by one, even when the same ring moved. Across the table, jumping from the table and into the air._

 _Everyone smiled and laughed (except the advisor) and Yun really heightened his performance when he manipulated the bear. The platypus bear rose up from its nap and sat up straight from the table, folding a napkin into its lap, delicately. It was holding utensils in its paws, pretending to be human! The crowd burst into uncontrollable laughter, tears brimming at the corners of their eyes when the bear cut a small morsel of pie and ate it. It licked its lips, quirked up an eyebrow and gave a sour look. Finally, it patted its lips with the napkin, and leaned onto the table with a drink in its paw. Looking like it was gossiping about the food. The woman next to it, played along, and listened intently what the bear whispered into her ear. She nodded along and agreed._

 _The woman told the table that the bear told her to tell the table that it has eaten much better pies in the forest outside of Ettikaul, but the company here is irreplaceable so it can stand eating one or two more distasteful pies._

 _As soon as Yun was laughing himself seeing the joy the show brought on his younger brother's face, a guard bowed and entered the room. Questionably eyeing the animals within it. A fox cub ran up to him and bit his sandal, gnawing on the tethered threads. The guard quickly shooed it away._

 _Yun's smiled faded._

 _The guard bowed and kneeled to Astra, telling him it was time to leave and begin solitary prayer. The day of sacrifice was approaching, and Astra was made busier each and every day, building towards the finale. The guard would have to pick Astra up to do so, or hold his arm, since Astra's feet were bound since the since day he was chosen to be one of the sacred._

 _Yun spoke, hurriedly, catching Astra's attention. "I would like to perform one final trick. A grand finale to celebrate this beautiful feast, and to Astra for inviting me to share his kindness. A plentiful bounty that should never empty in all of Cayenne."_

 _The crowd applauded, excited. What will the man do next? They wondered, curiously._

 _Yun lowered his hands and breathed a heavy breath. Closing his palms and shutting his eyes, focusing on the room and all within it._

 _His amethyst eyes gleamed, and his palms shot open._

 _Several heads thudded unto the table, other's fell back entirely in their seats. The woman who assisted Yun with the show, fell backwards into a basket of fruit, her hair smeared with crushed grapes and tomatoes. The advisor, members of the high court, the guard, and even the animals laid fast asleep at this beautiful banquet. Sleeping and snoring, peacefully._

 _All except Yun and Astra._

 _Slowly, Yun walked over the sleeping forms and towards the boy. Pulling an encased knife hidden from the back his tunic._

" _Yun…" Astra whispered, softly. He could not run, he could only shuffle backwards from his seat as he stared up at his brother, unsheathing the knife from its scabbard._

 _It was sharpened, just prior to the feast._

 _Yun raised the knife as he approached his brother. Finally, it took him years to enter Ettikaul, to enter its city and earn a name for himself. It took him even longer to find Astra and meet him face to face. Now that he was here. It felt surreal. His blood was pumping. His mind was racing._

 _He quelled his mind on one thought only. He was here to save his brother, he wouldn't allow the capital to use his brother as a sacrificial lamb. Yun would stall the whole ceremony at any cost, prevent it entirely and to be rid of this rotten city. For good._

 _He would do just that._

 _The knife fell._

* * *

The battle was over.

Or so he thought.

When Alligator bit down into the boy he tasted nothing other than the emptiness of air, aching disappointment and the feeling of being deceived. Alligator's tail whipped fiercely in the water, baffled and confused. He was not swimming in crimson waters but one's that were clear and pristine. Untainted. The water reflected the light from the moon and Alligator's distress. Where was the child? Why hasn't he eaten it already? He was positive he bit into it. This was too much thinking for his brain to handle.

Suddenly, his arm twitched and began moving automatically against his will. And so did his jaw. Alligator pierced his own flesh and bone and ripped his arm clean off from the joint. He screamed. All screeches and aching moans.

"H-How…" Alligator tasted iron on his tongue. The irises of his eyes dilated, frightened. Soon they traveled down to his limbs and even his jaw, he began to see slithers of white strings attached to them. Slithers of translucent moonlight hooked to his skin that fused to his scales and sunk further down. He pulled and wrenched and heaved. He breathed, erratically there was no use. They weren't going to break unless commanded otherwise.

Alligator's eyes followed the slithers of light up the waterfall. The strings weaved together, culminating in the hand of a child. Strings weaved around the boy's fingers. The boy was illuminated by the light of the moon and stars behind him, his jet-black hair glistened from the starlight. Those amethyst eyes, were as cold as the moon. And above Elodea, there was a shadowy phantom. A monster that a chimera ant like Alligator has never seen. The talons of the phantom nen beast hovered over Elodea, infusing its power with the boy.

Elodea shifted his hands in a motion that mimicked the shape of the moon, rhythmically. Then one hand cut down through circle, swiftly. Alligator felt his insides curdle, hacking up blood.

On the day Killua burned the Dark Sonata. He unknowingly released the nen beast from the shackles and chains that bound it to its paper cage. Once freed, it attached itself to a new host. A host that was bitter and angry. It attached itself to the last person who played the score. The last person who played it beautifully.

To Elodea.

And the boy could play it very well.

Elodea learned the first time he used the phantom's power, on the kid named Thio. He had the boy squirming on the bathroom floor. At the time, Elodea promised himself he would never use that power again, to ones that didn't truly deserve it. But today, he has found the exception to that rule.

Alligator's blood dripped into the water, forming a pool of intoxicating blood.

In secrecy, away from Killua, Elodea tested and tailored the ability. There were two different modes that Elodea discovered. The first mode is called _Hauptstimme_ , the primary voice. Allowing Elodea to manipulate the sensory organs stimulated by the brain. Sound. Sight. Touch. Smell. Taste. Upon using his own innate ability of aura resonance to hear the aura of those around him, he discovered that interfering with the most significant aura nodes of the body led to interfering with the stimuli of the brain. The dark sonata enhanced his ability, allowing him to manipulate the ant's senses. The second mode is called _Nebenstimme,_ the secondary voice. Allowing Elodea to physically manipulate the aura exiting through someone's nodes, and while it was still flowing within that individual, or monster on a macroscopic level. Commanding their actions. Forcing his will unto their own.

While Elodea was using Echo Rhythm, he was able to distract the chimera ant, and take ahold of its aura discreetly. Threading one string after the other, and concealing it using In, an advanced form of Zetsu. First manipulating Alligator's senses, thinking it truly touched and hit and bit into its prey. Finally, Elodea took control of Alligator's will to move and subtracted an arm from its body.

Truth be told, Elodea experimented with the latter part of this ability just to see how much control _Nebenstimme_ has over his opponent. Elodea reasoned that he has complete control.

"What are you?" Alligator peered at the boy, standing below the moon. Yet, the boy did not answer. He did not answer for some time. Maybe Elodea didn't realize what he became either. Maybe he became a monster just like the Phantom and chimera ant. Alligator became peeved, when his troublesome snack had something to say.

"It's disgusting…"

Alligator waited.

"The smell. The stench. The sound. The grating feeling of crushing bone and blood against one's skin. That feeling…doesn't go away. It's disgusting." Elodea looked down at his palm, at all the strings of aura enveloped within it. He could still feel the recoil from attacking Alligator in cold blood. He could still hear the ringing of his aura, screeching in agony. "Everything you have done; how have you've not felt repulsion from any of it."

"That's because," the beast smirked, madly. "it's what I was born to do."

Strings pulled, the Phantom obeyed, and Alligator smashed his own knee. Shattering his patella. The gator screeched, and Elodea shut his eyes, even though he wished he could do the same with his ears.

"Don't you regret any of it!?" Elodea yelled. "Don't you regret what you have done to those hunters!? To my father!? Don't you feel remorse or guilt!?"

Alligator first chucked, then laughed, then fell to its side. Spilling its own blood into the lake beneath it. Then it looked up into Elodea's eyes, delighted. "None, at all."

Elodea gritted his teeth, anger bubbling and toiling within his soul. It didn't matter if the monster repented its actions. "Soon, you will be dead." Elodea said. "Then you can laugh all you want in your grave."

The chimera ant ceased it's cackling as the boy raised its hands once again. In 4/4 time as a starting measure, in sync with the ant's aura. It was time. Elodea looked up towards the moon, it's silky light penetrating the world below. Him. The beast. And the Phantom.

The Dark Sonata was supposedly crafted by Lucifer himself. Well, that's how the legend goes. But it wasn't that long ago when the scores were composed. It was barely five hundred years ago. It was rather young for an infamous score. The Dark Sonata encompasses four solos for the piano, violin, harp, and flute. While they were all created not by Lucifer, but by one, young musician. A musician with a lot of promise, a lot of hope, and a lot of talent. His name was William Zolem, at the time he was newly apprenticed by an opera director and fellow musician who knew his mother. William was young, talented, madly in love, and he was soon to make his debut in the opera. His compositions and scores would surely skyrocket his debut as a professional. He really thought they would, but his master told him they were amateur pieces, they would only bring shame upon the opera and stifle young William's career as a musician. So, his master kindly offered to take the scores home with him to review, critique, and better young William's work. In a heartbeat, William agreed. And so, days past and so did William's anxiety when his master failed to meet him at the studio or in town at their favorite pub in which William always pays the tab, so William ventured to his apartment, dismayed. There was no one at his master's apartment. The tenant vacated the premises a few days prior and had no idea where the man with William's scores went. William was left without an apprenticeship, and broken hearted because his lover left him (finding out he was penniless), he was left starving in the gutters of the town filled with music, a town which he loved, alone. Upon one night, when it was raining, and William couldn't sleep outside like he normally could, he popped into an opera house to warm up. He saw a play performing and heard familiar music. His music. The music he composed and written by candlestick light. Enraged. Inflamed. Antagonized. He saw his master take claim for his work, alongside William's former lover who was now that man's wife. But seeing his former love stand beside that traitor didn't sting as much in comparison as to the music stolen from him. His beautiful compositions that made the crowd cheer and applaud and smile in adoration. When the opportunity arose, William seized his master by the throat, and strangled the air out of him, only to be stopped midway and thrown back into the gutters. Back to where the rats loiter and breed.

In his provoked state, he rented a room he had no money to pay and wrote by candlestick light, madly. He composed a dreadful piece filled to the brim with his hatred and betrayal and misery. While composing, he dreamt of his glorious dreams. His beautiful future that was torn to shreds by someone he trusted, respected, and relied on. That night as thunder loomed over the town he once loved, he awakened a powerful force. A haunting and horrifying force. Four unique solos. _The Dark Sonata._ His emotions and rage emulsified and became personified in a horrid nen beast. A Phantom of the Opera.

Malice stirred inside William, prompting to give the scores to his master as a gift without reason. And so, the former master played the solo for the violin alone with his dog and wife present. Days later, when the tenants of the apartment complained of a rotting smell, their curious minds informed the police and investigated immediately.

They found what was left of a dog, or thought to be a dog, crawling and scratching at the front door from the inside. It was trying to escape. Then on the couch, there was the body of a woman, or thought to be a woman. Finally, there was another corpse lying in the center of the floor, with a violin underneath. It was a man or thought to be a man. The police wouldn't have been able to identify the mangled bodies if it wasn't for the records by the apartment's concierge.

Murder? Slaughter? The police didn't know what to make of it. When the news spread in papers and gossip spread about cursed music, William was nowhere to be found. It is not known whether he moved to a new town to write music again, taken up a new profession altogether, or died in the gutters like a miserable sewer rat. The creator of the Dark Sonata disappeared through the gaps in history, but his legacy survived for centuries.

Elodea breathed, calmly.

The talons of the Phantom, now freed from the _Dark Sonata_ , stretched towards Elodea's hands, granting him more power. Elodea could hear the rhythm and beat of all the life around him. Of the cicadas chirping in the trees, the fish swimming down below in the lake, the gulls huddled together on the dirt ground, and the ant gazing up at him with widely curious eyes.

Elodea progressed his hands to 6/4 time, and focused on the ant's rhythm. He was the maestro in control of his instruments. Every creature that breathes, that lives, that holds aura. He would use it all, from the smallest of creatures to the hum of the trees to the one standing in front of him. He breathed.

Blood dripped from Alligator's ears.

It is time.

To conduct a _Dark Symphony._

* * *

 **HEY! Thank for so much for reading chapter 35! *high fives***

 **I kind of just realized now that ATWW is already half way done and that kind of saddens me ;A; thank you to all those who stuck this far through the story *hugs* You're the best! AHEM! Discussion time! Because I feel a lot of things need explaining :D With the last few chapters, you may be wondering why I literally have stories about five thousand year old and beyond characters (Yun, Astra, Caye, Mobius), one because I like history and origin stories, but I also really want to correlate the past with the present and how they intertwine with each other. An example would be Elodea's nen ability _Dark Symphony;_ he is a descendent of the cayenne civilization, which had a plethora of nen-users (especially manipulators), and his ability is similar to that of Yun's and Caye's, but different as it was molded in the present time with the Dark Sonata. And another bit, once the story is completed and you can see it as a whole, there is a lot of foreshadowing :D **

**The Dark Sonata is one of my favorite concepts from the series! I really enjoyed giving it a small origin story of my own too. I think Togashi was possibly inspired by Niccolò Paganini, an Italian violinist from the 19th century, who was so popular people said the devil aided him to reach such heights of fame. I hope you guys liked Elodea's nen ability along with the dark sonata :D**

 **Another thing! I wrote another special chapter entitled "Elodea in Wonderland." It is an Alice in Wonderland Au with Elodea as 'Alice' and Killua as the 'Mad Hatter.' Would you all be interested in reading it? Let me know because it is a LONG chapter around 11K words. I was also wondering if I'm not giving you enough time to read these chapters, they are kind of long and I know y'all are busy, as I am. So maybe I should spread update dates apart more? like if you read a chapter in one go (I envy you lol) or you take multiple reads (like me XDD) This would help so much!**

 **ALSO! WHO LOVES ART!? Wila-Chan on deviantart drew a beautiful drawing of Elodea and I AM IN LOVE XDDDD He's chilling underwater listening to music and gosh he's so pretty XDD**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think in the reviews pretty please XD See you all next time!**

 **Bye!**


	40. Chapter 36: Fall x of the x Cayennes pt3

**Chapter 36: Fall x of the x Cayennes (part 3)**

 _The knife fell._

 _Astra stiffened, holding his arms over his body, waiting for his death. He breathed once, twice. Finally, he mustered up the courage to open his eyes. His gaze shifted warily to the soldier, his brother, standing before him. The realization swept upon Astra like the tides thrusting upon the shores. He was still alive._

 _It wasn't the sharp end of the knife that echoed death thrust in front of him. No, it was the handle. The dull, blunt, not at all dangerously sharp blade of the knife hovering in front of his face. Astra's mouth was dry. His lips quivered as he looked up to his brother._

 _Yun spoke, his voice bellowed like that of a thunder storm. Commanding power. Steadfast. Courageous. Yet it was soothing and calm like that after the storm. Placid. Untroubled. Astra wondered how such a person can simultaneously wield two types of persona. Yet, his brother wasn't like most people. "Astra. To Cayenne, you are sacred, blessed and cursed. Loved and revered until the day of sacrifice which calls upon you to fulfill your sacred duty. To take your own life in the name of the Goddess Caye herself. To me, you have always been and will always be my beloved brother. Cayenne can crumble down to the soles of my feet and I would not dare lift a finger to raise it back up. For you, I will be your arms, your legs, and raise you high as you have done for my spirit since the day you were born. I know you love your homeland, and all its people. And you honor the duty placed upon you…It is your choice alone to free yourself from the cage Ettikaul has trapped you in. To leave or to stay. Whatever the choice may be, I will honor it."_

 _The air froze between them. A light glimmered in Astra's eyes. A star amongst a sea of blue._

 _No sooner, Astra grasped the knife and cut the necklace suffocating his neck. The medallion clattered to the ground with a liberating clang. A beautiful sound resonating through his ears, and his heart. Freedom. The boy looked up, his gaze piercing his brother._

 _He no longer wished to be cattle fattened up for slaughter._

 _The fire in their eyes and the passion in their hearts burned bright. Yun stooped down and picked up his brother carrying him in his arms, careful of his brother's mangled and bound feet. A precaution the high court issued among all sacred children. Ensuring that none of them would have second thoughts pertaining to their duties._

 _Yun walked over the sleeping forms, happily resting and oblivious to history being made in front of them, he held his brother tight. They would be kings of a new land. Together._

 _But first…Yun glanced at his brother's handicap. He sneered at the corruption of the city, at the crookedness of the high court, and at himself for being powerless for so many years. Unable to protect his brother. Before their departure to a new world, they were going to make a very unexpected visit to the high priestess of Cayenne._

 _The oracle of Ettikaul who is locked up and chained just like his brother has been for years. She goes by many names. A soothsayer that proclaims fortune and prosperity, or death and destruction. A creature descended from the stars and heavens when wealth nourishes the land. A monster banished from the thorny lands of the Dark Continent when death and destruction plunder the lands. A wish granter whose wishes come with a price. A weapon used to win wars and bring down kings and queens._

 _She has no single name, yet she goes by one too many._

 _Although, the oracle has a favorite name, one that has been passed down from host to host over the eras._

 _Nanika._

* * *

 _The halls echoed off the temple walls. Yun and Astra could see the aura runes vibrate and move off these sacred walls._

 _Astra turned to his brother, tugging on the collar of his tunic. "There is no doubt that the room she is kept in is heavily guarded. The high court has been making plans to venture to the Dark Continent beyond the sea, disregarding the warnings our ancestors gave us." Astra sighed. The only thing the council cared about was greed and money and power. And Nanika was their secret weapon getting back there. "The court has already made several wishes from her, and the tolls and stakes to make another wish after plaguing our bordering nations with drought and disease have heavily increased. Even killing all of Lord Necromajin's sons was a tactic wished by the court in the war of Kalobran. Brother, if you ask Nanika to bestow you a wish, I'm afraid it will be impossible-_

" _Fear not." Yun snorted. "It would be unwise of me to come unprepared. I've been planning this escape strategically for months. I am prepared for whatever the high priestess will ask. Nothing will go wrong."_

 _Astra hid his head against Yun's shoulder. He could smell the scent of pine and cornflower. He's forgotten that scent and the comfort it brought him. "If you say so, brother."_

 _Embers sparked and danced in the darkness of the night. Yun spoke, "…But…what does she ask in order to grant her wishes…I'm just curious is all…"_

" _Well," Astra looked up towards the ceiling. Seeing runes spiraling, the written words living on in stone. "The court does not tell me everything, but I do know that the previous wish, the one to bring drought to our enemies' lands cost the giver their right hand, both eyes, and liver…Of course the high court uses war slaves to ask for wishes."_

"… _I see." Yun gulped. All he had in his pouch was a few gold coins and crystals and jewelry to trade with. He was really hoping Nanika would fancy an emerald brooch or pearl necklace… But it didn't seem like Nanika was a materialistic kind of person_ _or whatever creature she embodied, of inanimate objects that is. Yun pondered silently, if Nanika asked him to give her a body part, Yun tried to ignore what type of part she would ask for it was making his stomach queasy, would it have to be his own? Or what if she asks for a heart and decides to cut one out from a chicken? No, he vaguely remembered that the object of interest to Nanika must belong to the person she is asking. And Yun was not in possession of chicken hearts or any other organs that weren't located in his own body…He wondered if an 'i.o.u.' would suffice…_

 _His heels clicked against the stone floor. The halls were empty, and they were the only ones creating an hollow echo within it. Ah, of course. There was a feast, a celebration taking place all throughout Cayenne. People were dancing, laughing, cheering, for the day of sacrifice was approaching and the Goddess Caye would bless her land and her people once more. By giving a life to her, just as Caye did for them. She will bless the land once more, and a new child will be chosen to take Astra's place._

 _Many people were out celebrating, including the guards._

 _Astra whispered, "Every night I have nightmares, one's of my own death. I live it over each night. They are always the same, never different. I am there on the pedestal and everyone is watching me. My advisors…taught me how to do it…with the blade. How to end it swiftly and painlessly through my heart." Astra snorted at the last word. "But in my dreams, my hands don't remember, and I carve the wrong muscles through the wrong bones as I stand in a pool of my own crimson blood. I look out to the crowd, eyes piercing me, and I am still alive. Still struggling to stay alive as I continue to cut." It was important that the advisors teach the sacrificial lambs how to make a cut through their own heart and carve it out as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is ideal that the offerings do it themselves, without the help of others. But on several occasions, the sacrifice was rarely done properly and required assistance, or else the sacred child was hopelessly withering in agony. In order to hasten their death, physicians advised them how to strike, where to strike, the starting force they needed to apply without hesitation, and it would be over quickly. Out of kindness, of course._

 _Astra broke down crying. Tears streaming from his eyes and down his cheeks. They plopped unto Yun's tunic and his maroon sash. A rasp escaped Astra's voice, barely a whisper. "I want to live. I want to be free."_

 _Suddenly, a lone guard spotted them. First noticing Yun holding the sacred child, he pointed his spear towards Yun, figuring him to be a kidnapper or traitor. He rushed at him with a great force. But it only took Yun one swipe of his hand, manipulating the man's aura, and drove him into a deep, deep sleep. The man collided onto the ground. His drool seeping onto the cold stones beneath him._

 _A torch lightened their way, glowing the hall in red and orange lights. Yun proceeded towards the room where they keep the oracle. He stole the guard's key's and entered the oracle's cage._

 _Yun brushed his hand through his brother's hair and spoke softly, "you will live freely for the rest of your days. Forgetting what it was once like to live in a cage."_

 _The light pierced through the dark room and a hiss was returned. Repulsed. Haggard. Tired. The oracle has been locked up in the dark for her whole life._

 _Yun stepped closer towards the withered form cowering in the corner of the room. He moved the torch closer and saw her. She was old. Ancient. Her eyes were empty pits. Hollow and black. Her skin creased and wrinkled and sagged, with history written in between the lines. The woman shivered and clung to the wall when she saw how massive Yun was. She didn't recognize his face. She was afraid._

 _Yun's heart saddened for her. The host of Nanika was never treated as a real person. Never were they adored or revered as one of the sacred children. Nanika was only viewed as a weapon. A tool for the empire. Only given the bare necessities and locked up tight in a room, only receiving visitors who desired and greedy selfish wishes._

 _Then she saw Astra. Her only friend. She outstretched her arms towards him, chanting his name as if it were a song. Yun, feeling slightly awkward, set Astra on the ground and just as fast, Nanika curled and rested her head on Astra's lap. Nanika received two type of visitors, visitors who wanted nothing but wishes, and Astra who asked for nothing. The only soul within Cayenne that knew loneliness and isolation as much as she did. They found solitude in each other in this lonely city. A bond shared between the two of them which could not be broken._

 _Words scattered across Nanika's tongue. "Astra…Good boy?"_

" _Yes," Astra said, smiling. His smile carried the sun, warming those around him. "You have been good as well, yes?"_

 _Nanika smiled a wrinkled smile from ear to ear, radiating joy that she could not contain. She spoke, happily. "Pat head. Pat head. Pat Nanika's head." Astra did just that. Running his hand gracefully along her head. The smile on her face never faded. It was nice getting a visit from her best friend. "I love Astra. Astra loves Nanika. Astra loves Nanika!"_

 _Astra was surprised that Nanika's human partner did not greet him first. The one's whose irises glowed a deep green. The woman was given no name of her own, she was merely a shell, a breathing shell to host Nanika. Usually Nanika awakens after her partner finishes speaking to Astra. He questioned this strange circumstance to himself but did not ask._

 _Yun kneeled down to face Nanika. They locked gazes, his amethyst eyes to her dark pits. Nanika clung tighter to Astra, hesitant._

" _Nanika," Yun said. "I need you to save my brother. Heal his feet so that he may walk by my side once again. Free to run away from this wicked land. I will give you anything you desire." Yun whipped out a knife from his satchel, ready to slice through his own muscle if she desired. "I am ready. Name your price."_

 _Nanika turned to Astra and whispered mischievously into his ear. Astra laughed along with her. Yun flushed._

" _What did I say that was so funny?"_

" _She says that you are a very good brother." Astra smiled. "And she does not require anything from you."_

 _Nanika pointed to Yun chanting, "You good boy. I help. Free. For Astra."_

 _Yun couldn't help feeling slightly relieved. "Nanika," Yun breathed. "Please, heal my brother."_

" _Kay," She spoke. Nanika reached out her hands and touched Astra's bounded feet. The wrapping had to be removed for her to do so. Yun winced at the sight of his brother's toes, crushed and flattened and pulled tight under his soles. Astra's feet were barely the size of Yun's fist. A fist he wanted to clobber the fool who did this to his brother. Astra caught his brother's gaze._

" _They don't hurt," He said. "I have learned to grow with them over the years. I've learned not to mind them anymore…they are a part of who I am. Although I don't regret saying that I won't miss them at all."_

 _Nanika reached out her hands and touched the boy's skin. Her wrinkled skin against his broken bones. Her hands began to glow, stealing bits and pieces of the starlight and moonlight that peeked through the wall's cracks. A sudden burst of wind spiraled throughout the room, blowing out the torch with a single gust. Black tendrils of smoke curled and rose to the ceiling._

 _It was done._

 _Astra stared down at his feet, normal and big. He was afraid to touch them, fearing that they weren't really his. For so long his feet were broken and mangled and ached. Now, it was as if that court physician never smashed his feet with a hammer or banded them tightly with cloth all those years ago. He touched his feet, and they did not hurt. Tears spread across Astra's eyes, "T-thank you. Thank you so much." He cried, embracing Nanika._

 _Nanika smiled. Happy that her friend was pleased._

 _Yun held unto Astra's hands. "Slowly." He said as he raised Astra up. Astra stood up on his own two feet. He wobbled like a baby lamb, first coming to acquaintance with the new-found joy of walking all by one's self. "I will never let you go."_

 _Just as Yun was ready to leave with his brother, Astra held his arms open towards Nanika. "Brother, we're taking Nanika with us." He turned to her, joyfully. "Let us all be free together. Would you like to come with us Nanika? I'd miss you terribly otherwise."_

 _Nanika gasped, blushing. To be with her best friend outside of this horrible cage! For the rest of their days and play games and have fun! That was a wonderful idea! Nanika nodded her head rapidly._

 _Yun quickly caved to his brother's demands and carried Nanika on his back, while his brother stood by his side. It has been a long time since he's felt this happy. And happier in knowing the rest of their days together will be bliss._

 _Yun carried Nanika on his back, a fighting spirit in his eyes, and his heart walking alongside him to his right. He glanced back at his brother, who returned his gaze. Everything felt so right. Yun returned his gaze to the road ahead of him. There were only a few more steps to take in order to ensure their happiness._

 _All three of them._

* * *

 _Yun has learned a variety of skills throughout his twenty-three years on earth. He has learned to read and write, which are respectable and commendable qualities among Ettikual's elite. He has learned to fight and dual and battle his way through the amphitheater, streets, and in taverns crowded with rowdy and obnoxiously loud men. He has learned the skills of wit and persuasion, useful in his debates with Tervum, may his soul rest in peace, and other colleagues, may theirs stir uneasily in their graves. These are his respectable qualities that any citizen of Cayenne would applaud him for. Then there were his unrespectable qualities that would earn him a rightful seat in prison, left to Tervum's empty barrel._

 _Yun learned to con and steal and trick. He conned a man out of selling him a boat and stole a hefty load of money from the temple shrines. Gold and silver coins. Jeweled chalices. Opal crowns and diamond rings. He hid all these treasures in the boat he conned a decent man out of. What? He needed an escape boat and financial backing ensuring their security in the new land beyond the sea, called the hearth of many people. It doesn't hurt to travel prepared. And the money in the temples was only gathering dust anyway, no one was putting it to good use. So, Yun decided that he would put it to good use. Yun was friends with a wools trader from that land, at least when they arrived they'd have someone to help them start a new life, as humble shepherds. Not Yun's style, but it was better than living the rest of his days in Ettikaul, without Astra. Astra was fond of animals, so the transition should be easy for him._

 _Yun also 'borrowed' a few stable horses. By borrowed, he means he 'borrowed' them in the dead of night without the owner's permission and would most likely never receive them again. That kind of 'borrowed.'_

 _The crescent moon shined above the three runaways riding on their 'borrowed' steads. Astra couldn't stop smiling. Freedom never felt so good after escaping a life of imprisonment. Suddenly, as they rounded near a farm, Astra's smile began to fade. He saw the pigs and swine and cattle caged and barred behind a wooden fence. The animals were packed tight together, they didn't even have room to sit down and sleep._

 _Rage overcame the boy as he descended his horse, rushing to the animals. He began pulling on the wooden shafts. Splintering his hands in the process._

" _Astra," Yun called. "We must get moving before daylight breaks."_

" _I can't," Astra heaved and managed to unhinge one nail from the fence. He was gritting his teeth, desperately. "No living creature deserves to be confined against their will." Astra pulled and pulled until his muscles ached._

 _Suddenly, the wooden shank ripped from the fence. Astra marveled himself with his own strength, until he realized that his hands weren't the only ones to rip away the wood. Yun stood beside him, and together they ripped and pulled and broke the wooden fence. The pigs and swine and cattle charged out from their cage, navigating the plains beyond the farm. Running._

 _The boys howled to the sky above, their cries ascending to the crescent moon. Let Caye know they cheated her out of a sacred child. Let Caye know that no one would be dying on her behalf. Let the witch in the sky know that love overcomes any crooked kingdom and all its sinners._

 _Nanika soon joined the chanting. All three castaways committing blasphemy against their goddess and empire. And they did not care. They howled to the wind and moon and stars of their triumph._

 _And the wolves hidden amongst the dark brushwood of the forest howled in return. Knowing of their bravery and foolishness and joined them in song. Howling for their victory._

* * *

 _They made it to the port when the moon hovered above the sea. The waves crashed against the shore as the smell of salt and seaweed and algae danced and mingled through the wind. Their breath caught, astonished. Their ship looked glorious rocking in the waves, bumping against the wooden pier and kept at bay with a rope to it._

 _Freedom._

 _Yun lifted Nanika off her horse and unto the rocky shore and noticed her eyes. They were not the black pits he's seen before at the temple when he made a wish. No, they were a brilliant green, the color that of the pastures and valleys. Ah, so this was Nanika's human host. The woman smiled brightly as she hunched down towards the ground, picking up rocks and broken shells in her hands. Feeling their smooth and dull edges. She awed, never has she seen tiny boulders before, that fit perfectly in the palms of her hands._

 _She stuffed some into her pockets, carrying bits and pieces of the treasures she just found. She may never come across these wonders again._

 _Yun laughed, "You like these rocks? Wait until we cross the sea, there will be plenty more surprises waiting for you there!"_

 _The woman smiled a toothless grin. She raised one rock towards the moon, it's sliver light shining through the stone, illuminating a brilliant red._

 _Yun picked up the woman in his arms, ready to help her onto the ship. Maybe Yun was drunk on the moon, for he only noticed his companions, the journey ahead of them, the sound of his brother's aura, which was music to his ears._

" _I'll tell you," Yun said, "if you like rocks, then you will love wool."_

 _Blood spattered._

 _Nanika screamed._

 _Yun stood frozen in place as an arrow pierced Astra straight through the heart. Astra staggered to the ground. Staring up at Yun, eyes open wide and mouth agape._

 _Yun let go of the woman, embracing his brother in his arms. Blood flowed from his wound. The head of the arrow entered through his shoulder and down into his chest. Astra rasped, taking in rapid and short breathes. Yun clenched his brother's hand, tight._

 _Yun quickened his gaze from the brushwood and to the boat. There was time to escape to the boat, set sail on the ocean, remove the arrow and treat his brother's wounds. It was a solid plan, but why, why was there a steady stream of tears flowing down his cheeks, knowing he could save his brother._

" _Br…brother," Astra whispered, blood the color of wine dripped from his lips. "Death…. death is not as painful as I imagined it would be."_

 _Yun cradled his baby brother in his arms, leaning his forehead against the other. The warmth from his brother touched his skin. His aura flowed through his heart. Yet it was diminishing, it was slowing, it was silencing._

 _Yun shook his head, his tears mixing with Astra's blood. "No, this isn't death. You will conquer this, and you will live. This is nothing and is only a story we will tell when we are old and fat sitting at our hearth. We will be a family once again…. Don't leave me a second time. Please."_

" _Y-You survived the first time." Astra whispered, his eyes fading. "And you will survive the second."_

" _Without you I have nothing. I am nothing without you." The older brother cried and wailed and pleaded Caye to not take his brother._

 _Astra lifted his hand towards Yun and stroked his cheek. The touch was weak and cold and faint. It felt like that of a ghost. "All sacred children are known as the cursed. I should have expected nothing less of my fate. But to me, Yun, you are blessed and sacred. Perhaps Caye smiled upon me and decided to let me die in your arms and in your presence than to die alone and unloved. Perhaps she granted me a final wish….and I couldn't be happier…."_

" _I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Yun stammered. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I should have moved faster, been swifter," He cursed the open air, "why am I always failing to protect you-"_

 _Astra shushed him, shushed away his apologies and his regrets and his sorrows. He brushed away the tears streaming down Yun's eyes. Finally, Yun whispered his last words. The words he should be speaking._

" _I love you."_

 _The moment Astra's aura silenced forever was the moment Yun's heart shattered in his arms. The world was cold and dark and noiseless. He remained on the rocky shore, cradling the corpse, the shell, the earthly remains of his brother._

 _The stars shined bright and Astra became one of them._

* * *

 _The soldier who shot the arrow shook with a great fright. He stared down at the two boys, one dead and the other alive yet unmoving. His teeth shattered, afraid. He meant to fire the arrow at the kidnapper. At the one who stole the sacred child from the temple! He aimed the arrow at the broad man carrying the woman, but he didn't suspect that the one to jump in front of the man was the sacred child._

 _The bow dropped from the soldier's hands and he staggered backgrounds, letting the notion that he committed treason sink into his mind. He ran back into the brushwood, scared and confused, fear eating away his thoughts._

 _Twigs snapped. Rocks crunched. The woman turned her head towards the sound, towards the armed soldiers approaching them. News spread quickly about the kidnapping, and they were here to retrieve Astra. Well, now they were here to retrieve his body, mourn his death, and capture the traitors that doomed Cayenne._

 _The woman pushed Yun, back and forth. But his eyes remained glassy and remained solely on Astra. The woman whined, whined for Yun to move, whined for Astra to wake up so they could all leave together and escape from the bad men. Then she looked at Astra._

 _And her heart shattered. He would not be waking up anytime soon. She stood up and strode in circles, hurriedly. Holding her arms against her chest, panting. Soon, a soldier recognized her as the high priestess, and just as he approached her. She left out a massive wail, tumbling to the ground._

 _She was struck with a heart attack._

 _A soldier soon went to her side, he jumped back, hit with a powerful wave of aura. As the woman's body sank onto the rocks, a black apparition rose above her body. Its eyes were hollow and its body was jet black. It screeched a terrible screech that pierced through all the soldier's ears. It startled and spooked the horses, causing them to throw their riders off their backs. The leader of the group commanded his horse to remain steady and yelled at his commands as the black apparition shot fast into the sky as quickly as lightning strikes the earth. He yelled as loud as thunder. "The high priestess has died! Gather every new born child within 3 kilometers of the city. Nanika can only travel so far without a host to survive. She will be searching for a new partner to form a bond! If we lose her, we lose all hope for Cayenne! Go!"_

 _Usually the high court is well prepared in the coming of a new high priestess. Since Nanika's bond with her hosts are lifelong, the court has no problem in finding suitable replacements when the lifespan of the host nears its end. Choosing a newborn baby then killing off the old host is a very simple solution to that problem. Since Nanika jumps into the next, young living vessel it can find as a replacement. It's planned. It's strategized. It's perfect for maintaining control and possession over their most prized weapon._

 _But now…Nanika would either parish before she finds a new host, or Cayenne would be left without their most prized weapon and fall prey to their enemies._

 _Two agendas occupied the general's mind, find the next host of Nanika and cut off the traitor's head of the one who killed Cayenne's sacrificial lamb._

 _Yun did not struggle as Astra was torn away from his arms and as the general pulled him by the scalp of his hair, tied him until the veins pulsed in his arms, and brought him back to Ettikaul to be disgraced, shamed, and finally, executed._

* * *

 _Today was supposed to be the day of celebration. Of plentiful feasts. Of singing hymns. Of resting and thanking Caye for the glorious years of fortune and riches to bless them in the coming years ahead, by sacrificing a sacred child, one of her own._

 _There were no celebrations. There were no feasts. People were not singing or dancing or playing games. The citizens of Cayenne were mourning. Mourning over the death of their sacred child. Of Astra. Their auras rung of misery and desperation and sadness._

 _And Yun was the cause for all of it._

 _He wasn't the first to be executed in front of the angry crowd in Caye's sacred temple, leveled high on a platform, reaching into the sky above. It was the soldier who fired the arrow. The arrow that killed Astra. On the platform, the soldier was barely recognizable. His face was a bloody pulp of the man it used to be. He was only a beaten mass of flesh as two soldiers held him by the arms and tied him to a mast to be quartered._

 _It was an achingly slow process._

 _The crowd loved it, and so did the high court to choose a worthy punishment of the one who killed their blessed child of Caye. A fate worse than death was the only suitable punishment for this abomination._

 _The crowd cheered when the soldier was pronounced dead and whose soul would wither in agony forever in the afterlife, never finding peace or solitude. No one bothered to clean the platform of the mess they just created._

 _A soldier slammed Yun down on the platform, his jaw cracked on the stone. Yun was bathed in the remains of the previous victim. A gauged eye stared back at Yun, and Yun stared back at it. There were many other 'parts' that looked at and touched Yun's skin, it sent shivers up and down his spine. He breathed short and rapid breathes, staring out into the crowd. He saw the mayor with the white beard from the dinner party that one night. He was smiling, laughing at Yun. Laughing at the spectacle made for their enjoyment._

 _All Yun could think about was Astra as the executioner lifted an axe, ready to strike._

 _Some people close enough to the platform threw rotten vegetables and garbage and grime towards Yun. The gifts unfortunately did not reach Yun, they only tumbled off the steps down the platform._

 _They were chanting for his death, to be as painful as the last. They were chanting for Astra's death. They were crying and praying, and their souls were filled with misery as they thought of them. Their hope, their future, their child._

 _Yun narrowed his eyes._

 _They cry as if they knew Astra._

 _They cry as if they loved Astra._

 _Yun gritted his teeth, fire raging in his heart._

 _They cry as if Astra was theirs. Their lamb. Their offering. Their prisoner. They cry as if they truly loved him!_

 _Yun bit his lips, blood dripping on the stone pedestal._

 _All this city does is take! They take and take and take and they don't stop! They stole his brother! Stole his heart! Stole the only happiness from his life! And these people steal his brother, bind his feet, cripple him body and soul, cage him for slaughter all in the name of love._

 _The executioner lifted the axe. The priest waited to give him the signal to strike._

 _Yun's gaze turned cold and distant as he stared up at the executioner. It was impossible for love to grow and thrive in this crooked kingdom. It is only taken and beaten and left to rot._

 _The priest signaled the executioner to strike._

 _The axe fell._

 _And so did the executioner._

 _The man chopped his own body with his blade, not yielding to his own screams and cries. Yun stood up, blood dripping from his tattered clothes. He called upon his aura, raised his arms, and summoned and weaved all the life energy from those around him._

 _He was the most powerful manipulator in Cayenne history. Yun even dared to think that he rivaled that of Caye. He stared up at the sky, "are you watching brother? Watch as I end this rotted city in your honor."_

 _Screams erupted as aura burst rapidly from the civilians' bodies. Exploding. Detonating. Yun manipulated the aura of the high court members to jump off the platform and to their death. When one tried to act brave and thrust a knife at Yun. Yun manipulated the fool's aura into slicing its own neck. The fool staggered to the floor, lifeless._

 _All of Ettikaul perished under Yun's wrath._

 _The cries and screams of their aura could be heard all the way to the outer sectors of Outikaul. Normally, news doesn't travel as fast to the outer sectors, but this time, the message was loud and clear._

 _Caye has disgraced all of Cayenne and she was punishing them._

 _Many families escaped the cities and towns. For Caye has disowned them and she no longer loved them. That's what they thought in their panicked minds filled with endless fear._

 _Yun escaped the carnage when the worst was over. Walking over thousands of bodies._

 _He left Cayenne on his boat._

 _He left and never looked back._

 _He arrived to 'Relis ae Kukan' surrounded by his horde of treasure._

 _The natives saw the gold and silver and jewels and the man who wielded a powerful aura. In a land that desperately needed a leader, they took this as a sign from the ocean answering their prayers. They revered him as a king. A king to rule and guide them through these difficult times._

 _Thus, Yun became what was later known as_ _Relis ae Kukan's first king._

 _It goes without saying that his reign was neither just nor fair. Yet, he was the first king and the natives did not know how a king should act, until much later in the years to come. One thing he did do exceptionally well was unite all the tribes and clans under one kingdom and one rule. His kingdom was renamed 'Yun ae Kukan.' The name changed from 'hearth belonging to many people' to 'health belonging to Yun.' Era's later when people forgot the past, the name was changed to 'Kukan'yu.' Yun was Kukan'yu Kingdom's first king. He later married, had children, and died in his old age. Never once in his life did he forget Astra. A carrier of the sun._

 _This story took place in the center of the Cayenne civilization, in the capital known as Ettikaul, home to the elitists, oracles, and visionaries. It rose. It thrived. It fell. Such as the course for all great civilizations. And the ones to bring it to its untimely end? One was an educated warrior and the other was a sacrificial lamb. Two brothers' born from the same flesh and blood. Born of the same hearts in a crooked kingdom. Both were responsible for Cayenne's Great Fall._

 _Caye. Mobius. Yun. Astra. The Oracle. Their descendants live on and their fates lie solely within themselves whether they choose to be called blessed, sacred, or cursed._

* * *

Every other Sunday or Saturday, give or take their busy week schedule and how free they are on weekends, there is a special event at the Freecss family home. This special occasion is marked on the calendar with a bright red marker, and the refrigerator with an assortment of magnets (curtesy of Gen Freecss to highlight the occasion with googly-eyed magnets, indicating that this event was very, very important.)

'F.F.F' This acronym consisting of the triple F's stands for 'Freecss Family Fun' night. In which the Freecss family has fun. Enough said. But the activities of Freecss Family Fun night can change considerably! Going out to staying home to watching late night movies (Gen is allowed to stay up till 9:00 PM, goodness gracious he considers himself a rebel for staying up this late! Even though this extension only added an extra thirty minutes to his normal curfew, a.k.a. his bedtime.)

Normally Gen is ecstatic for Freecss Family Fun night! He finds his special seat on the couch, sandwiched between his mommy and daddy. He even gets to hold the popcorn bowl when watching movies, a special honor one must respectfully earn, or when daddy runs out of hands to hold other delicious snacks and delicacies, and Alluka's purse.

But tonight, the wind howled fiercely outside, and rain tapped against the windows. Gen pressed his nose against the cold glass and stared at the rain plummeting down towards the earth. Puddles splashed, and he heard the gutters fill with water, spilling off the side of the apartment. Gen wrapped his blankie around his shoulders and sighed, deeply. He read that artists and writers tend to like gloomy and rainy weather, and how it gets the creative juices flowing. But Gen was neither an artist or writer, yet, and he found the weather to be exhausting!

He saw a streak of blue light pierce through the sky, only to be followed seconds later by a loud thundering boom. Gen jumped back from the window with a gasp and stuck his tongue out at it in retaliation. He saw another streak of blue crack in the sky, and swiftly retreated to the couch sitting next to Alluka. He rolled up into a ball with his blankie and looked like a cushion. He grumbled to himself miserably.

Alluka stroked Gen, tenderly. She noticed that he has been acting strangely since they returned from the excavation site after the meeting about the newly discovered Cayenne child before the Great Fall. It broke Alluka's heart to see Gen crying during the meeting as he stared back at the image of the once blonde-haired youth.

She thought it would make him happy to go to the library, for he was so excited to read _A Midsummer's Night Dream_ , that was all he was talking about that morning. But Gen said he didn't feel like reading anymore, sluggishly. Then Alluka thought that ice-cream would do the trick. So, they went to their favorite ice-cream parlor, _Periwinkles Delight,_ and ordered Gen's favorite ice-cream, mint chocolate chip with chocolate flavored sprinkles. But Gen was licking his treat at a snail's pace and it melted in his hands before he could finish it.

"What movie do you want to see, gumdrop?" Alluka patted Gen on the shoulder. "Daddy rented so many movies to choose from, Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000 Vs. Rusty Robot Man the Great, Trolls Are Way Cooler than Dragons Just Ask Merlin, Jim Lake Survives PE, Jim Lake Survives PE 2: The Formidable Dodge Ball Game, Jim Lake Survives PE 5: Friendship Found in the Darklands / Gunmar's Change of Heart and Happy Rainbows..." Alluka looked over to Gon, who was walking out of the kitchen with a massive bowl of buttered popcorn, extra butter (she definitely married the right man) but she questioned the options he chose.

"What?" Gon said, sitting down on the couch, careful to mind Gen. Making sure to mistake him as a pillow first. Gen usually gets a kick out of that. But not tonight. Gen just moped and laid his head on his mother's lap, still covered from head to toe in his blankie. "They were on the recommended list." He said plopping a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

Gen moaned like Julius Caesar's dead ghost.

Alluka placed the back of her hand against Gen's forehead. Hm. He doesn't feel hot. Then just in case, with a thermometer. Nope. He didn't have a fever and he didn't eat anything funky either. "Gen, what's wrong? I won't know unless you tell me. Are you sick?"

"Sick at heart." Gen mumbled, quoting some poet from some book.

Gon immediately wrapped Gen in his arms and then pointed to his own scruffy jaw, "Gen, do I have something stuck on my chin? Can you check for me?"

Gen squinted his eyes and examined his daddy very closely. Suddenly Gon nuzzled Gen snugly against his cheek and gave him 5000 kisses (Not an approximate number, but it felt like 5000 rapid burst kisses) Gen was all nonstop smiles and giggles, his hand pushing away Gon's cheek.

"Whaiit!" Gon mumbled as Gen's hand covered his mouth. "I have mhore kishes to give!"

Gen escaped Gon's grasp and jumped up on the couch declaring, "I vote on watching 'Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000 Vs. Rusty Robot Man the Great' I have a feeling that one is a masterpiece." And so, it was voted and unanimously declared that they would be watching this interesting relic from the past.

Gen sat on the edge of his seat during the entire film. Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000 was the protagonist of the story. He started off as an ordinary sushi chef that served sushi free of charge to people of all kinds, and dolphins, in a world that discriminated against polyester sweaters and khaki shorts. Sides were chosen, and families were torn apart. Until one day, the chef sliced a radioactive fish and became the awesomely awesome hero Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000, vowing to protect all those under the strength of his awesome superhuman sushi chef skills, and vanquish his foes with extra spicy wasabi. Then there was Rusty-Robot-Man-The Great who wore a scar over his tin head, that started from his eye and down to his chin, thus signifying he is the big, bad villain destined to get his butt kicked by the hero. He also was a practicing nudist, but one particularly does not notice when the nudist is a mechanical robot…He did not want to choose between wearing polyester sweaters or khaki shorts; and decided to rebel against the system by choosing neither! The finale of the film was approaching, and Gen had sparkles in his eyes.

Rusty-Robot-Man-The Great turned to face Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000 after their epic dual at Wanazaki Seafood Supplier's Inc. (the company which also sponsored the movie.) The lights dimmed as he stared down Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000. "I have a confession to make…" the robot spoke, dramatically. "I am…I am…I am a sushi chef too!" Tears made of oil streamed down his eyes as Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000 gasped even more dramatically than before as his foe wore the sacred white sushi hat. They were kin. They were nakama! Yet they were destined to be enemies! How could fate be so cruel?! The light's faded. The credits rolled. Gen was cheering. Gon and Alluka clapped, modestly.

"THAT WAS AWESOME!" Gen squealed. "And that ending! I didn't think that they'd be brothers from their grandmother's second marriage to the duke of Mushi Land!" Gen gasped, wondering how the sequel will play out when it comes out next year. He has to see it, or else he will never find out what happens to Sushi-Mushi-Chef 2000's shiba inu who was captured by his assistant turned villain Monsieur Chocolate-Eclair! Gen did think the assistant was suspicious on account of his monstrous, curly mustache and his evil laugh when he stewed the vegetables in the dark cellar of the restaurant as thunder conveniently rolled as he declared vengeance against the world….Hmm…. all the pieces are coming together now.

After watching a 'good' movie Gen was feeling quite better now! Sadly, Freecss Family Fun night ended, and it was time to go to bed, for Gen anyway. Alluka and Gon were going to stay up a bit longer, but not too long. Because they, uh, have to do their taxes. Yes. They had to do many, many taxes. Which could range between an hour or five minutes.

As goodnight kisses were exchanged, Gen was tucked into bed with a smile on his face, falling asleep.

Alluka rolled onto the couch and exhaled a sigh. Gon stretched his arm out towards her and whispered into her ear, faintly. "We're alone now."

Alluka gazed up at her husband, a hand drifted into hers as they locked gazes. She whispered into his lips, "what are you thinking of?"

Gon's eyes shifted from hers and trialed unto…other places. His jaw touched against her own, fighting back a blush as he spoke tenderly into her ear, leaning forward. "I was thinking of…"

Maybe it wasn't too late for Alluka to run into the kitchen and grab a jar of coconut oil.

Gon extended his arm over her head and grabbed a stack of papers from the desk situated behind the couch. He scattered the papers on the coffee table, along with a calculator and several finely sharpened number #2 pencils. Gon rubbed a hand against the back of his head, bashfully. "I was hoping we could work on the tax returns together. The numbers are confusing me a bit."

Of course…

And so, husband and wife worked diligently on completing their tax returns, together. What else did you think they were up to?

"Gon," Alluka said, punching numbers in the calculator. "Gen was crying today at the meeting."

Gon removed his glasses and looked up at Alluka, "Was it from one of his classmates? I'll have to talk with his teacher when I bring him to school on Monday. Gen always talks about that Bobbie Fisher kid and all his shenanigans, I'll have to speak with his mothers too."

"No, no, no. Gen is not having any problems at school. He gets along with all his classmates and his teacher says he's a pleasure to have in class." Alluka said. It wasn't even a bad grade that unsettled Gen, considering the lowest grade he as ever gotten in his kindergarten class was a happy face of a cat. To be honest, Gen wasn't really trying on that assignment anyway. Macaroni art wasn't really his thing.

She said how Gen became upset when the boy appeared on the screen. That he imagined the boy looking sad and alone.

They deducted that it was just Gen's overactive imagination. He did just finish reading _Frankenstein,_ so it was possible Gen was just spooked, thinking of spirits and zombies and such. They settled on that and continued on with their taxes. Alluka punched numbers into her calculator, still feeling unsettled. Even when she was looking at that boy from the past too, she thought she saw a ghost. That she saw him once in her life, from a long time ago. A time when she still had _her._

But it was all a blur, as were most of her memories from that time.

* * *

Gen was very good at pretending to sleep. He exceptionally fooled his daddy when Gon decided to check up on him later in the night. Ah, his sleeping angel, Gon thought then left to return to his taxes.

Gen made sure the coast was clear before rolling out the bed ninja style in his footsie pajamas. He turned on his butterfly lamp and pulled out his coloring book and crayons. He held the crayon confidently in his hand and drew a modern-day masterpiece. When he was finished, he held up the drawing from a distance, evaluating his work. It deserves a gold star, maybe two!

Gen smiled, proudly. Upon finishing his list of all the qualities, he shares in common with Elodea, the list was nicely wrapped in a ribbon, Gen decided that he would draw a picture book too! The cover page had four people on the cover. Gen pointed to the figure in the middle, "that's you and me." He said. He pointed to the boy with black hair and purple eyes, "That's Elodea." Then he pointed to the boy on the right, the one with the blonde hair, "That's Astra." Then he pointed to the young man at the left, who also had black hair and purple eyes, "And that's Yun. And we're all happy together."

Gen yawned, realizing that that it was finally time for him to go the bed. He warily checked the time on his digital clock, it read 9:55 PM. Oh my goodness, Gen didn't realize how rebellious he was becoming! What was next? Not brushing his teeth after meals? He quickly rushed back into bed and wrapped himself in his covers. Yawning one last time.

He snuggled his head against his pillow, soft as cotton candy. "I promise I'll give you a happy ending and then you won't have to be sad anymore. We're surrounded by so many people who love us. Who love you." Gen said, dreaming of the picture book of all his friends. Dreaming of his best friend. "I love you."

The nightlight twinkled, casting light and shadows among the room. Gen closed his eyes one last time, drifting further into deep sleep.

"Goodnight, Nanika."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **So now you guys know who is Gen's 'imaginary' friend, and that these three flashback chapters were totally necessary :D (don't worry, this was the last cayenne related chapter) I also finished writing all of the part 3 chapters, so the last chapter written is chapter 39, I look forward to you guys reading the last chapter (part 3 of 4 parts) of the story. Please f **eel free to leave a review! Bye!****


	41. Chapter 37: The x Madwoman x Lives

_When the (*) appears it indicates the beginning of the song 'Sleepsong' by Secret Garden. I encourage you to listen to it when its scene comes up! The lyrics of the song are also written here too._

 _Also! I kind of regret posting this chapter so late in the story, if you want to refresh your memory of imp. events go back and re-read chapters 1 and 2 of the story for they heavily relate to this chapter. Like ALOT. *coughs* Enjoy!_

* * *

 **Chapter 37: The x Madwoman x Lives **

Adeline's father says that it is best to think of five impossible things before breakfast, to get the wheels in one's head turning. Five impossible things that can one day be possible.

Adeline usually thought up of at least ten. And today she thought of eleven.

She first thought that if she jumped high enough, with the right pair of shoes, she could reach as high as the moon or even Mars. Give or take the laws of physics. Secondly, she thought of contacting a faery, she already had the necessary offerings in her nursery, such as toys and candies, and it is always good manners to offer the fae folk gifts. She just needs to light a few candles, but her nanny forbids her from using matches. Flashlights would make an adequate substitute. Thirdly, but most importantly, she thought of finally being able to outwit her nanny in the most challenging game in the history of mankind.

Hide and Seek.

The young child crouched behind a rose bush, her blonde hair curled like that of grapevines. Her hair was wild, as was her imagination. She giggled to herself as her nanny walked among the garden, cradling Adeline's baby brother in her arms. She will outwit her nanny and her baby brother at once. Splendid. Everyone knows that babies are very perceptive of their surroundings, no one had to tell Adeline that.

Nia didn't need to look up from the swaddled sleeping babe in her arms. The little one's pacifier fell out of it's mouth and alongside his chin. He began to kick his legs and squirm. Nia tenderly placed the pacifier in the baby's hands, which it quickly grabbed and sucked on the gadget, voraciously. Nia looked in the baby's mouth and saw crowns of white emerge through the pink gums. She rocked the child in her arms as he whined. Teething is one of the first of many difficulties in life. No worries, it is a tough time that everyone conquers. "Adeline, you chose a lovely hiding spot behind the rose bush but come out from there this instant before you prick a finger on a thorn."

Adeline puffed her cheeks and put her hands on her hips. "How do you always know where I am hiding when playing hide and seek? Auntie Nia, you're not cheating when you're counting to ten are you?"

"No dear," Nia said. "When you get to my age you master a variety of skills."

Adeline's jaw dropped. How amazing it was that adults could master the game of hide and seek with upmost proficiency. Ah, the wonders that await adulthood. Adeline couldn't wait. She ran up to Nia grabbing unto her skirt, laughing. "I think you are a faerie! That is why you can always find me, no matter where I hide." Everyone knows that faeries are magical and very good at playing hide and seek. Adeline suspected that her nanny was a faerie for some time now. Nia smells like mint and herbs and polished furniture and everyone knows that's what faeries smell like.

Nia sighed, "First you say I am a witch, then a sorceress, and now I am a faerie. Dear, make up your mind as to what I am. I am just your nanny."

"You are more than my nanny." Adeline wrapped her arms around Nia, well she wrapped her arms around one of Nia's legs. Adeline guessed that when she was older and much taller, eight feet tall, she'd be able to give Nia a very, very big hug. "I love you Auntie Nia."

"I love you too, dear."

The baby cooed, blowing bubbles out of its drooling mouth. Perhaps that was a baby's way of saying 'I love you too' or 'feed me now.'

Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the patio. He was wearing a finely cut black suit, and a tie that was deep blue like the ocean. Adeline instantly released her hands from Nia and ran to the man smiling at her. He picked her up in his arms and kissed his eldest daughter.

Nia nodded her head and greeted her employer, and he nodded his head in return. Eoin Myonos. His family once ruled as part of the aristocracy in the Kukan'yu Islands, but as the crisis in the islands escalated, his family, like many others fled to the main kingdom. Of course, his family's fortune still stayed in tack, one of the only family's fortune for that matter. And he found a nice and wealthy girl to marry. Nia did hear a rumor, when chatting with the other nannies that Eoin was once engaged to the eldest daughter of the Sierren family, Madrid Sierren. The alliance would have helped strengthen the ties between the north and west in the Islands. How long that alliance would create peace, Nia didn't harp on it. The Islands were no longer her home and it wasn't in her place to gossip about her employer, or sleep with him either. In Nia's opinion, her employer is not a bad man. He is smart in his dealings and cunning with his business partners, loves his children, and is very generous when paying his staff along with holiday bonuses, but he's just stupid in everything else. Stupid, but not evil. Wealth and stupidity are an unfortunate combination, but it was a combination that the younger and more prettier maids fell prey to quite easily. They get caught up in a fantasy about a young rich man, a young and handsome rich man. He favors them and indulges them in glamor and treats, for a time. Then the game wears down, bores him, and he releases the girls from his service.

Out of all the maids, Nia has worked for the Myonos family the longest. Of course, she was very good at taking care of children. But Nia thought that because she was neither young nor pretty, and Eoin's wife didn't see her as a threat, her position as caretaker of the Myonos children was very secure. For once, it was very good to be old and homely. Eoin trusted her the most to take care of his children.

And they even provided her with health insurance so there was that too.

"How is my darling princess today?" Eoin kissed Adeline's cheek, cradling his daughter in his arms, almost as if he is dancing with her. "You grow more beautiful each and every day, looking just like your mother. I hope you didn't give Apollonia a hard time….again." He looked over to Nia, wearily. His eyes already apologizing for whatever his daughter has done, lovely as she is.

Adeline shook her head, her blonde curls shaking with her. "Me and Auntie Nia play fun games every day and we get along very, very well papa." She said, radiating a toothy, mischievous grin.

Eoin glanced over to Apollonia, wearily.

"Nothing shocks me anymore." Nia said, simply. That was the honest truth. Recently, Adeline began taking in a strong interest in geology. She loved the earth and mud and sand so much, she began bringing it into the home. Her mother almost fainted when she saw a mound of muddy dirt crawling with buds on her pristine white carpet. To Apollonia, it was nothing a little Windex could take care of, and a whole lot of bleach. She sat down at the patio and shook a bottle of formula milk for the baby. She dabbed a droplet unto her wrist and sampled it. Tasted fine. The little one reached out its arms and scavenged for the milk, ravenously. How was already one quarter of the bottle finished? She just fed him hour ago.

Nia glanced into the inside of the mansion. She rolled her eyes, indiscreetly to herself, as she saw a maid rummage quickly out of a closet. Buttoning and tucking in her shirt. A burp, which sounded more like a cat yowl, escaped through the baby's lips. Nia put down the bottle and set a rag on her shoulder and patted the little one's back. There was no time to meddle in her employer's affairs, no matter how many times she tells the younger girls that all their pursuits would be in vein. Yet not one of them listens to her advice. Nia wondered if she were thirty years younger, she would be blind as a bat as those idiot girls too. But, there was only one man in her life that she loved. Her husband. Her dear Helios.

Every morning she lights a candle and says a prayer in his memory.

She still wears her wedding band, a ring made of iron and ore that Helios crafted for her when they were both young on the islands. When he was still alive. He carved their initials on the inside of the rings, his and her own. The ring began to turn a rusty sort of color, one that many rich and fashionable woman would throw away, or donate to charity. Nia still looks at her ring with fondness, as if it was the day her husband got down on his knee and proposed to her amongst the olive trees. Helios didn't own much, only a small plot of land with many, many honey bees. They loved each other, and therefore they had everything in the world. They married during a time when the Islands were peaceful and the word 'rebels' was nonexistent and didn't instill fear in people's hearts.

Eoin was off to another meeting, leaving his children in Apollonia's care. The only ones who call her by her true name are her employers, now she goes by her nickname, Nia.

When it was time to go back inside the mansion, Adeline skipped behind Apollonia giddily. The woman turned around briskly to Adeline before opening the screen door. She whisked her eyes to Adeline's then down to her pockets. "Well," Nia said. "I'm waiting. Empty your pockets of all that dirt and rocks. We wouldn't want to upset your mother, or her white carpets."

Adeline turned her pockets inside out, clumps of dirt and sand and pebbles cascaded out of her pockets, down her dress, and onto the patio. She tapped her hands against the pockets. Getting every grain out. She looked up at Nia, angelically.

Nia tapped her foot against the tile pavement. Each tile was a mosaic made of broken rocks. The colors reminded her of misty mornings at the beach.

"And for goodness sake, take that poor salamander out as well. Whatever did it do to you Addie."

Adeline put a hand down her collar and into her blouse, removing a squirmy and green salamander. Its tongue slithered out of its mouth and its tail whipped in the air. It was only the size of Adeline's thumb, but the little thing was still putting up a fight. "But she's my friend."

"Then you may release your friend back where you found her. They prefer dirt in between their toes rather than being in a stuffy house."

"I like dirt in between my toes too!"

"Yes, my dear Addie I know you like a lot of things. A lot of messy things. But your friend will be much more comfortable outside in the wild. Can your friend catch bugs or make caves inside the house? Hm?"

Adeline contemplated the question for several seconds, "I think they could." She said, courageously.

Nia hummed. "I suppose they could in someone else's house other than your mother's." It took a lot of reasoning to convince Adeline not to bring in the salamander into the house. Since bringing up her mother's _fondness_ for reptilian creatures, Nia stated that the salamander was in fact a fairy disguised as an animal. Guarding the garden and every creature within it from evil things, like mean spirits, ravens, and post men. Who will protect the garden from these malevolent creatures if their guardian isn't there to do so.

Adeline gasped, gravely. She quickly returned the salamander on the rock from which she found it. The creature scurried off quickly beneath the rock's crevices. Not only did Adeline think of eleven impossible things before breakfast, but she also restored the balance between good and evil that resides in her backyard garden. Adeline was a very accomplished five-year-old.

"Come along dear. It's time to get yourself cleaned up."

"Auntie Nia." Adeline looked up at Apollonia with pleading eyes. She held her nanny's hand and leaned outward like she was dangling from the monkey bars. "You promised you would tell me another story of the boy with the amethyst eyes. And what is his name?" She whined. "I think I should know the name of my future husband."

Apollonia set the baby down in his crib. The crib was polished and laced with fine cloth and cushions. Soft and sweet. The little one yawned silently, and he looked up at his nanny with his big blue eyes. She touched his cheek, and a smiled passed along his face, cooing. She once had a baby. A baby boy that was all her own. "Addie dearest come here."

Adeline did as her nanny said and stood up on a short stool. Being able to gaze down at her little baby brother Stephan. As if recognizing his big sister, Stephan's laughed filled the room and his arms and legs jumped up. Adeline smiled and bent down to kiss him.

"Addie, who do you see in front of you?"

"I see Stephan of course! Can you see alright Auntie Nia?"

"Yes dear, clear as day." Nia coughed. "He is your younger brother, and what does that make you?"

"I am his older sister of course!"

"And what are the responsibilities that a sister holds?"

Adeline looked at her fingers and counted. "To love my brother, play lots and lots of fun games with him, explore the moon and stars together, and if anyone is ever mean to him I will whoop their butts."

"…Very good."

"Am I a good sister?"

Nia combed her hand through Adeline's hair, gently. "An excellent sister." Stephan closed his eyes, and his tummy sighed up and down as he began to fall asleep. "Promise me that you two will always protect each other, no matter what."

"I promise. And we will protect you too. That's a promise."

"Alright." Nia hobbled to a chair and sat down with a sigh of relief. "I will tell you another story about him. Just one more as I am very tired today. I might even have to retire to bed early." Adeline sat on the ground in front of Nia, holding a blankie in her hands. Her favorite blankie that her mother says she is too old to use. But Nia hid it from the Mrs. and said she disposed of it promptly. Now it lay happily in Adeline's arms. Five-year old children are entitled to small indulgences, like keeping their favorite blankies.

"Will you tell me the story of when he goes beekeeping? Oh! I love the story where him and Hades climb to the top of the mountain in a snow storm and he carries Hades on his back too! I want a fluffy doggie just like Hades." She gushed into her blankie.

Apollonia told Adeline stories (some were exaggerated.) Plenty of stories about her sweet little boy. Although, most of her stories consisted of dreams. Dreams she would have of him growing up, being older than he truly was. Farming the lands with Helios. Collecting honey and selling it at the market. Fixing and hammering the tiled roof, eating dinner as a family, and she even dreamt that he was a musician just like his father. She dreamt they all lived a peaceful life together on the Islands. But these were only passing thoughts, what her life could have been. What she, her husband, and son could have been together. She remembered them through songs, stories, and dreams.

So, Nia told a story she has yet to tell. One she has kept locked deep within her heart.

This was a first for Adeline, she has yet to hear the story of the day her future husband was born.

* * *

 _Midwives told them to stop dreaming. Told them to stop hoping for a miracle._

 _Apollonia and Helios have been married for eleven years, and utterly fruitless. In the beginning, they were hopeful that God would bless them with children. As the years passed, they grew more and more anxious. They tried everything from superstitious concoctions made of oily herbs and burnt ashes to rituals that consisted of lying still in bed for an hour and monotonously ringing a miniature metal gong over her stomach (she felt ridiculous but prayed that the ridiculousness would work.) Apollonia even stopped eating her favorite fruit, pomegranates. Once she heard they are used as a natural contraceptive, she avoided them like the plague. She spent her whole life eating pomegranates, but so have other women and they were still able to bear children. What were they doing that Apollonia wasn't?_

 _People started gossiping whether it was Apollonia's misfortune, or whether it was solely her husband's, Helio's misfortune. It ached Apollonia to see that look in her husband's eyes. Sadness. Regret. He felt he was the one at fault and apologized for it constantly._

 _It was only when they were referred to a psychic medium off the coast in kalamati who prescribed them a remedy made of ground up organic ingredients that consisted of wild raspberries, wild sun-dried tomatoes, wild fish scales, and wild donkey droppings (wild was all the rage these days) that Helios should apply to his_ necessity _and they would definitely bear many, many children. The couple hesitantly asked if this precocious antidote has yielded successful results with other couples. The medium responded that it was not her place to reveal her client's information since she worked by a highly confidential system (According to her confidential system there were no positive results, only an abundance of rashes.) The medium even charged them more than what was deemed reasonable, and the couple happily declined reasonably._

 _After eleven years, it was time to stop hoping._

 _Helios and Apolonia lived in a small village named Palio Vrisi, which meant 'small well,' in the Western region of the Kukan'yu Islands. By trade they were beekeepers. They harvested golden honey from their handmade hives, collected, filtered the wax, labeled and painted the jars, and sold them in the town market. Sure, they did not have children, but they have over five hundred and one baby bees and several scruffy pigs; and one very old dog, Hades. Hades, in his prime days, was a lively and strong dog. He herded sheep, warded off foxes from chicken coops, and saved several fishermen from drowning when they almost perished at sea. But now, Hades was as old as his master, and now he spends his days huddled in a corner in the kitchen next to the hearth of the fire. Yawning. Sleeping. And catching cobwebs in his mouth. His days as a farm dog officially ended when several rowdy boys pulled a rotten prank on him. They pushed Hades close to a grinder, a massive stone made for grinding olives into oil, it wasn't meant for grinding flesh and bones…Now Hades walks with a limp._

 _Then one day, Apollonia felt different. Her feet were swollen, and her stomach tossed and turned like an ocean storm, and her head was heavy and hazed. Helios hurriedly called a taxi and drove her to the hospital._

 _Tears laced the corners of his eyes as he spoke to a nurse, crying. "I think my wife is dying."_

 _As the nurse rolled her eyes, discreetly, and examined Apollonia she found only one diagnosis, which the couple didn't even think of anymore, they didn't dare to dream anymore of the possibility of pregnancy because of too many disappointments. Yet here they were. Cramped in a small hospital room, with a fan that creaked with every turn, circulating stifling air through the room. Helios ran a hand over his mouth, flooded with promise of a family, then he clutched his hand to hers. She cupped his cheek as her lips met his, they were both overjoyed by the news that they will soon be parents. Helios will be a father. Apollonia will be a mother. And they will have a child to love. It was all they every wanted._

 _The ultrasound revealed that they were expecting a little baby boy._

 _And they already knew what to name him._

* * *

 _With newfound spirits after the hospital visit, none of their neighbors imagined that they bring joyous news of the pregnancy. Before the neighbors found out, one of them, Frederico, betted that Apollonia suffered from a horrible case of nostropecia (a severe lack of nose hair.) Frederico owed his mother twenty dollars._

 _The months progressed with Helios loving, but most worrying, over every small task Apollonia would do. 'be careful when climbing the ladder,' 'I'll hold the honey jars for you, they are too heavy, just rest and I'll take care of it,' 'I'll bring the bed down to the living room, so you don't have to walk up and down the stairs.'_

 _Finally, she snapped. "And how cautious should I be when walking under the sun? Heaven forbid I get sunburned."_

 _Helios looked up to the sky, contemplating._

" _No dear, it was only rhetorical."_

 _That evening, Helios returned from the town market with a parasol._

 _He was a fool, but he was her fool. And she loved him unconditionally._

 _Helios once read that babies, in the womb, can hear sounds from the outside. Even music. They may respond to the external noise by kicking their legs or wriggling their arms. Helios was more than excited to play his guitar to Apollonia and their growing child every night. Besides from beekeeping, Helios was a very talented, but unknown musician. He is a guitarist in his village band (they were named 'Merlin's Marmadukes!' They were good with musical instruments, not names) and plays the organ at the local church. Although, he prefers playing his bouzouki rather than the piano. With a guitar he can stand and move around. With the piano, beautiful as it is, his movements are confined. He was hoping he could teach his son to play music one day. And maybe his son will prefer the guitar just as he does. Wishful thinking on his part._

 _Helios tuned the strings, strung cords, and played a lullaby. Apollonia smoothed her hand over her bump, getting rounder each day. Her palm touched her skin, waiting for a surprise, for a kick. Waiting for her son to show them he was listening._

 _Apollonia's eyes widened, joyfully. "He kicked. He kicked right here."_

 _Helios placed his hand over the spot, and felt a little thump meet his hand. Then once again, and again. "He's dancing!" Helios laughed._

 _The moonlight shined through their open window as the crisp air of the night filled their room. She laid in bed with her husband beside her, and a little crib that laid on the floor basked in the moonlight. She ran her hand over her bump, large and round. Happy. Content. It was almost time._

* * *

 _He was born on a misty spring morning._

 _Mist and rain and morning dew covered the grounds and land, as Apollonia gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The wind tossed and turned, and thunder loomed high in the sky. Thunder clamored and raged in the morning light, like the beat of a steady drum. But that didn't stop their little one from getting his voice heard._

 _He was crying a storm when he first arrived. A healthy and strong voice the doctor said. Like that of a lion. The doctor didn't know which was worse listening to, the storm, the baby, or both. The doctor thought that the baby boy might have stolen a bit of the thunder's voice. Mischievous little thing. The baby was destined to be a singer, a politician, or any other public speaking professions that involve commanding voices._

 _Helios was enticed by singer, already proud of his soon to be musician. Apollonia held her child, wrapped and swaddled in her arms, as tears strolled down her cheeks. He could be anything he wished to be, but to her, he was her miracle. He was their miracle._

 _So, they named him Thavma. Their little miracle._

* * *

 _Whatever Thavma did, it was met with an unconditional amount of joy, or an inordinate amount of fear. Sometimes both._

 _AH! Look! Their little Thavma is beginning to crawl! STOP HIM BEFORE HE FALLS OFF THE PORCH STEPS!_

 _Look look! Thavma is beginning to babble so many different sounds! And navigating the world around him! Look how happy he is! DON'T PUT THAT NEWT IN YOUR MOUTH! SPIT IT OUT!_

 _Aw! Little Thavma giggles at the crackling of the fire in the hearth! NOOOO! DON'T STICK YOUR HAND IN THE FIRE!_

 _Each day entailed a new adventure. A new, exciting, and possibly life-threatening danger kind of adventure. Just yesterday Thavma learned, all by himself, how to roll and crawl out of his crib. Good thing Hades was resting beneath it to cushion his fall. Thavma rolled on top of Hades' back with a muffled thud. He was cooing and giggling, while he tugged unto Hades' ears. And drooling profusely. Hades simply yawned, woken up from his rest._

 _Thavma rolled unto his tummy, and with all the strength his little chubby arms and legs held, pulled himself closer to Hades' face. He stared into the dog's eyes, and the dog's stared back into the baby's amethyst eyes. Thavma cumbersomely stretched out his hand to the dog's snout. Feeling a wet nose, and a slobbery tongue. Hades sniffed the little hand, got up slowly, and cocooned himself around the little one, his tail wrapped around the little one's body, as they both fell asleep._

 _When Helios bent down to pick up his son. Hades growled, and then nipped his master's hand._

 _Helio's yowled like a cat and woke up Thavma from his nap. There was some fight left in Hades after all. Though, it would be better if he didn't use it on the man who nursed him from when he was a puppy. Oh, the betrayal. Now Hades was charged with a new task. An honorary and noble task. He was in charge of protecting Thavma. Especially during nap time._

 _Thavma was the type of child who didn't like to sleep when told to. When laid down to bed he'd stay wide awake. Laughing and cooing amongst himself. Crying to garner his mother and father to come to him. And Hades. Adorable Hades. He'd love to play with Hades. His favorite game consisted of him kicking off his blanket and Hades biting a corning and pulling it over Thavma to resume nap time. It was an ongoing cycle of Thavma kicking off his blanket and Hades' furry snout emerging beneath the crib and setting the blanket right once again. Thavma would repeat the cycle when Hades made his blanket just right. It was truly an invigorating game. Hades may be old, but he is still a very smart dog. He caught on to the game, and instead of leaving after he fixed the blanket. His snout stayed over the little one's body, light but snug. It was time to nap. The blanket was there to stay, and so was Hades._

 _Thavma fell right to sleep._

 _Apollonia was nursing her son one morning in the backward as she watched Helios cater to the beehives. He wore his white, baggy suit with a net over his face. He just finished putting the bees to sleep with lavender smoke to collect the cell frames from the hives. When Helios approached his wife and son, clad in his mysterious astronaut looking suit. Thavma whimpered and burst out in tears. It was only when Helios hurriedly removed the net off his head, for his son to finally recognize the face underneath. His tears dried away, a wide smile spread across his face, and his arms were stretched out so wide. He babbled and babbled to be picked up._

 _Helios cradled his son in his arms, and stretched them out wide. Lifting and swinging him up and down in the air, then towards his chest. Greeting his son with a kiss. His little boy loved it. Apollonia's heart warmed at seeing her two loved ones. The resemblance between the two of them was uncanny. He had his father's eyes, his hair, and his smile. And then, there was the other trait. Something that was hard for Apollonia to properly exclaim. It was a sound. It hummed and breathed and echoed along with her boy and her husband, and every person she has ever met in her life. Her grandmother could hear these sounds too, sounds that would ring blissfully when a person is happy, or turn sour and bitter when someone is upset or angry. All through Apollonia's life she had to convince people that she wasn't crazy or mad. So, she kept her secret to herself as she grew older, and only told Helios when they were married. She was ashamed of her quirk, of her imperfection. But he only smiled with amusement that his true love could hear the songs of people's hearts. A beautiful gift, he called it._

 _For once, she felt that her flaw, her embarrassment, was a beautiful gift._

 _The song of her boy's heart was lovely and sweet. She thought it to be like the wind as its breeze sweeps through the wheat and grass of the pastures. His sound was the gentle sigh of the ocean's waves as they fall onto the rocky shores of the islands. It even reminded her of the water weeds she used to collect when she was a child. Elodeas were much too common in the bays and shores and overflowing near the boats and docks, but they reminded her of home. The moments shared between morning and night, the ocean breeze sifting through the islands, the water weeds rocking in the waves. What an odd thing to think of a little weed. She smiled to herself. The sound of his heart was just like his father's. What a pair they are._

 _Helios broke off a piece of a cell from the hives the bees made. A honey bee flew over his head and past his ear as he let the golden liquid drip down his finger. It shined an orange and brown hue, glistening under the sun. His son wrapped his hand around his father's finger and smeared the honey over his mouth, messily. A smile radiated from his honey stained lips and screeched a high note. Honey was very, very delicious._

" _All this will be yours someday." Helios gestured to the rickety beehives, swarming with colonies of busy bees. Thavma cooed and laid his head on his father's chest, looking up at him. Amused. Amethyst eyes of the little one, meeting the same amethyst color of his father's. "And you will have so much more."_

 _The wind whistled through the underbrush of the trees, their branches and leaves basked in the golden light of the summer sun. The sound of their hearts was an enchantment to her own._

 _Apollonia wondered if her son received any traits from her. Oh well, deep down in her heart, she was sure that he did. Only time will tell._

* * *

 _It was a golden summer day, when the grass hoppers and crickets spun whistling tunes amongst the creaks and ponds and lakes. Apollonia and Helios strolled through their village, pushing a stroller._

 _Thavma was laying in his stroller with a parasol shielding him from the sun. At the farmer's market, they bought fresh figs and cheese. Suddenly, a old friend of Apollonia's called out their names, and they all chatted over a light brunch. Peeling figs and drinking bottled lemonade over a picnic blanket under the sun. Their friend has a daughter, who was slightly older than Thavma. She could walk and babble and spat some words together in a sentence. The little girl leaned into the stroller and patted the little baby on his head, petting his soft black hair._

 _And just like that, which sounded like a joke, Apollonia and Helios received their first marriage proposal for their son._

 _Their son was only five months old whose only concerns consisted of eating, pooping, and sleeping, and he was already getting marriage proposals. It was odd, yet they walked all the way home feeling giddy and silly._

* * *

 _Helios was playing his guitar one evening at home. He sat cross legged on the floor singing a tune as Thavma crawled along the tiled floor. When Helios called his name, the little one turned around from examining a crack in a tile and crawled towards his father. He patted his hands on Helio's lap. Babbling and screeching high notes along with the lyrics sung by his father._

 _*Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby_

 _Back to the years of loo-li lai-lay_

 _And I'll sing you to sleep and I'll sing you tomorrow_

 _Bless you with love for the road that you go_

 _May you sail far to the far fields of fortune_

 _With diamonds and pearls at your head and your feet_

 _And may you need never to banish misfortune_

 _May you find kindness in all that you meet_

 _May there always be angels to watch over you_

 _To guide you each step of the way_

 _To guard you and keep you safe from all harm_

 _Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay_

 _May you bring love and may you bring happiness_

 _Be loved in return to the end of your days_

 _Now fall off to sleep, I'm not meaning to keep you_

 _I'll just sit for a while and sing loo-li, lai-lay_

 _May there always be angels to watch over you_

 _To guide you each step of the way_

 _To guard you and keep you safe from all harm_

 _Loo-li, loo-li, lai-lay_

 _Thavma slowly stretched his arm towards the cords, the strings vibrating off the instrument. He plucked one with several fingers and it made a sore twang of a sound. Nonetheless, he was amused by the sound and continued to pluck the strings, laughing. Bubbles of spit escaped his lips._

" _Ah, I knew it. I knew it." Helios proclaimed. "You are a musician just like your old man." Wait until the band gets a kick out of this. Helios was already fantasizing about the years ahead, playing duets and songs and rock ballads with his son. They'll be a father and son band, just like so many great artists before them._

 _Apollonia's heart warmed, but quickly sunk. It was painful to bring up the topic, but it couldn't be avoided. "Helios…I've heard the uprisings haven't settled in the east, and now with the news of the Sierren Family massacre…will we be safe here?"_

 _A deafening silence followed. She could hear embers crack in the fire of the hearth. She watched the flames grow and collapse on one another. She felt nothing but darkness by looking at it. She pulled her sight away from it. Helios looked at his young boy, only five months' old, and cupped his chin. Smiling. Thavma teethed on end of his father's shirt. He looked up to his wife and kissed her. "These uprisings won't travel to the west._ _We will be safe here."_

 _She looked at him with longing eyes, laced with uncertainty._

" _We will. Don't worry." His voice was full of confidence and strength. Maybe he wanted to believe his own words too. And saying them out loud felt real. Made them truly feel that they would be safe._

 _Apollonia believed him, but she still worried._

 _She was right too._

* * *

 _It would have been a peaceful night, if not for the bomb that thundered through their village._

 _An explosion woke them up from their asleep, alarmed. Sweat trickled down their brows, horrified. They were wordless as they jumped out of their beds, jammed on their shoes, soothed their crying infant. Motion and movements took priority. Helios rummaged through the cupboards and found what he needed, passports and tickets that granted his family passage out of the Islands and to Kukan'yu Kingdom._

 _He hated himself. They should have left sooner._

 _Another explosion boomed through the air, banging and ringing in their ears. It was deafening. Suffocating. The house shook, and dust and debris fell from the ceiling. There were rebels attaching their village, and they were coming closer._

 _Lights burned outside of their windows, followed by voices that shrieked vile and vulgar words that sent their insides curdling. Apollonia saw the piglets in the corner of the room. Their mother pig just gave birth and it is best to keep the piglets inside the home, in fear of cayotes or wolves preying on them. But now, that concern seemed insignificant. She watched the baby piglets squirm in their basket, terrified._

 _The wolves were outside. And her family were the pigs._

 _Gun shots blazed through the madness. Popping one after another followed by screams. They ducked down to the floor as glass broke and shattered, and along with a stream of relentless bullets. Helios hovered his body over his wife and son's. Shards of glass cut through his arms and back._

 _There was a break in the firing. The monsters were reloading. Tears streamed down from the woman's eyes as she looked at her husband, and the blood that seeped from his wounds._

" _Helios." She croaked._

 _His breathe hitched, "It's just a scratch." He pulled her by the arms and away from the windows. "Go out through the back door and run. Run as fast as you can don't look back."_

 _She nodded, looking back and forth between her husband her son, who was whimpering in her arms. He was on the verge of tears. They all were._

 _Helios slammed a chair on the tile floor, broke off a wooden leg. The end splintered horribly. He held on to it tight as he swung it through the air like a baseball bat._

 _Apollonia looked at her husband, her son, the piglets, and the monsters beating down their doors._

 _An idea ignited._

 _The door broke down._

 _She ran upstairs._

* * *

 _Apollonia was dragged out of the house by the hair of her head. She was slammed into the ground; her skin and clothes were caked with dirt as she held the bundle tight in her arms. Refusing to let go._

 _Snickers. Sneers. Mockery. Laughter._

 _She looked down at the ground. Really looked. She felt the warmth and dampness and stickiness of liquid seep between her fingers and nails. She dared to lift her head to the source._

 _And saw his unblinking eyes. Dull. Bleak. Lifeless. Those perfect amethyst eyes that once shined so bright. They stared back at her, filled with nothingness._

 _She stifled the urge to scream. A powerful urge to scream. The sorrow swelled deep in her throat and she couldn't breathe._

 _She wanted to call out her husband's name one last time. She hated herself for leaving him to die. Suddenly a man, stepped on Helios's face and grinded the sole of his boot against it. Sinking the dead man's face into the mud. Half his face seeped into the soil and into his mouth._

 _Apollonia forced herself to bring her gaze to the man. Horror beseeched her as she recognized his face. He was one of the boys that crippled Hades, that tossed him under the stone grinder. He was a young man from their own village. She always knew he was rotten to the core. This did not surprise her. In his hands laid a rifle with a bayonet attached to the end. The sharp blade gleamed under the moonlight's rays._

 _Tears welled her eyes. It wasn't fair._

 _He saw her, and the bundle in her arms. "Aw, is that a baby? I want to see."_

 _Others behind him laughed._

 _She flinched as the bayonet was speared through the bundle and pricked her breast. He held his rifle with the wriggling form on the end. Blood soaked the blanket and dripped down the knife. He turned to his comrades, enraptured in this game. "I wonder if it is a boy or a girl." The men laughed menacingly and took random guesses. The man began to unwound the blanket and once he saw the creature he lurched back in disgust._

 _He threw the carcass of the piglet in the mud. Apollonia immediately rushed to the dead piglet and held the creature it in her arms, cooing it to sleep and whispering softly to it._

 _The rebel stepped back, afraid that the woman's madness was contagious._

 _Explosions burst._

 _Fires burned._

 _Screams filled the air._

 _He lifted his rifle and aimed at her head._

 _It must have been a vision of near death, for she saw a shard of lightning pierce through the black night. Blue sparks crackled and wisped through the mob of rebels, and one by one they came crashing down._

 _The rebels were all at her feet, lifeless and still. Then she saw a glimpse of him. A man basked in the moonlight's ethereal light. His hair sparked and each step he took cracked beneath the earth. Once he saw her, he didn't hesitate to pick her up._

 _She couldn't walk on her own, and she kept looking back to her home. To the sound of a little one's breaking heart. She rasped on her own breath and choked on her own tears. She had to go back. She back to go back. She had to go back._

 _The young man who embodied the moon's light handed her to another man. He yelled at him to take her to one of the lifeboats. To get her out of her. Now. Just as fast, he turned his back and left a silver after image in his tracks. Tacking down more of the monsters and getting people to safety._

 _The man barked at him in return, telling the young man who was far out of ears each that it was time to go back. For they were experiencing too many casualties._

 _Apollonia was thrust into wooden life raft with more refugees. The boat rocked in the waves._

 _She heard her child cries through her ears, that aching pain of his heart breaking down her own. The sound resonated in her ears as hot tears streamed down he eyes._

 _He was suffering._

 _Her baby boy was alive and crying and suffering._

 _He needed her._

 _She is all that he has left._

 _And she left him alone in their house to burn._

 _Apollonia grabbed the collar of the man holding her down as she tried to toss herself over the boat. He tried soothing her, forbidding her from leaving the boat. "Ma'am, it's alright. Your safe now. If you go back, you will be killed."_

 _She clawed at his cheeks, and he lost hold of her for a second. She got one leg into the water. Waves rocked against her thigh. They were already off the shore. Just before she pounced into the water, the man grabbed her by the waist with the other refugees holding her down._

 _They tried calming her, but their pleas were only met with a retaliation of curses and scratches. Not much can be done to soothe a madwoman._

 _As the boat moved further away from the islands, she laid trapped within the boat. She was forced to listen to the sound of her baby's heart suffering and crying for her to save him._

 _How horrible it was to listen to your own heart breaking right in front of you._

 _The man clasped a hand over her mouth for her to stop screaming._

 _There were no more boats on the shore, except for one. It was stalling. It was being delayed. Why? Just when the boat began to row away, a man jumped out of it and unto the shore. It was the same man who embodied moonlight, he raced past the waves, unto the shore and through the burning village. He vanished through the growing flames._

 _Then he disappeared, consumed by the flames, along with her heart._

* * *

 _She swapped her son with a piglet. Or else he would have been the one on the skewer._

 _She saved him from the monsters but left him to perish miserably in a raging fire._

 _Apollonia reasoned that she was no better than the rebels that killed her husband and those that destroyed her home. She too was a monster._

 _The worst kind of monster. A madwoman that signed her baby boy's death certificate._

 _A mother who deserted her child._

 _Betraying someone you love blackens your soul. Turns it stiff and hard and into coal. Slithers and seeps through your bones. It's a weight, a burden, a curse you carry for all your days. Never to be let go._

 _It will never let her go._

* * *

 _Thavma woke to the smell of smoke and fire in the bedroom. Startled. Afraid. Abandoned._

 _Wood collapsed from the flames. The curtains singed and burned to ash._

 _Hot tears streamed down his eyes. His cries were interrupted by a stream of coughs as a cloud of grey smoke filled the room. Fire creeped up along the walls, the floor, the blankets, and then the bed. He lay there on his back. Crying for his mother and father._

 _But they didn't come._

 _Neither could he hear the sounds of their auras in the house or in the village. They were gone. He was alone, and that made him cry that much more._

 _Embers scorched the bed, climbing over the blankets. The little one's face scrunched up, red. Wailing. He kicked his legs and arms as the fire began to burn his sides. The smell of scorched skin sifted through the air. Burning the sides of his chest._

 _Someone came._

 _Suddenly, the door was kicked down. Sending a wave of smoke sifting through the room. A man emerged out of it and swiftly pulled the little one away from the fire and towards his chest._

 _His scorched skin was met with a wet cloth. Providing a brief moment of relief._

 _For a moment, he stopped crying. His face lightened, and the tears dried. A sound resonated through his ears, aura that was calm yet strong. He looked up the man who had white hair and blue eyes, curiously._ _But this sound was different for it was neither his mother's or his father's aura._

 _The pain rose, and his wounds burned and ached, and he longed for his mother's embrace._

 _He began crying again._

 _The man carried him out of the burning house._

 _Thavma turned his head and saw as they passed Hades. Lying decrepitly on the floor. Motionless. Soundless. Fur singed with fire. He saw the strings of his father's guitar burn and shrivel from the instrument, collapsing. It twined sour notes as it scorched in the flames._

 _Soon he smelled the salty air as they approached the shores. The man jumped into the boat with a thud, and little Thavma was met with a wave of hostile aura that sent chills down his spine and tears trickling down his cheeks._

 _Impatiently, the man with the white hair bellowed, "row the damn boat already!"_

 _Hot tears streamed down the little one's plump face as people shouted one after another, clamorously._

" _Make that child stop crying, it will give our location away." Said the rows man._

 _Their aura was frightening._

 _"Muffle its cry," said another, viciously._

 _Their aura scared him._

 _"Drown it in the water!" angrily said another. All their gazes targeted the little one. They wanted to plunge him under the waves, so he could be silent with all the weeds._

 _He cried and cried and cried._

 _Within a heartbeat, the man holding him jumped out of the boat and watched the boat disappeared into the fog. Leaving without them._

 _The little one quieted as he was held in the arms of the one person whose aura did not frighten him. Whose aura comforted him. The only person who came to him, when no one else did. His amethyst eyes gazed up at the man who caught gaze caught the moon and stars and sky._

 _The man raised an eyebrow at the bundle in his arms, he seemed to look irritated._

 _The little one kicked his legs in response._

 _The man's attention was caught between the child and the monsters whose shadows casted silhouettes contorting alongside the flames of the village. The man looked back and forth between the two. He fled with the baby in his arms._

 _And together, they retreated into the shadows._

* * *

 _Apollonia stood in line at the Human Resources sector of the refugee camp. Her thoughts muddled and hazed surrounded by survivors, wounded but alive. Someone shoved her from behind and she stepped forward._

 _A voice called to her. Apolonia looked up, shocked._

" _Excuse me. What is your name ma'am?" The receptionist asked._

 _Apollonia's gaze shifted to the other refugees, men, women, and children. She saw families swaddled together under one blanket. She saw the relief in their eyes as they embraced each other. She tugged her own blanket around her shoulders, cold. Her heart winced._

" _Ma'am? Your name please?"_

"… _Apollonia Druonma."_

 _They recorded that. Her name. Her identification. Her survival._

 _She looked around to see if she recognized anyone from her village. It was hard to tell. There were so many unfamiliar faces._

 _The receptionist noticed her drifting gaze around the room, searching for someone. "We have a list of refugees that arrived to the camp. Is there anyone you are looking for? Or you can give me a name, so we know who to search for when they do arrive. I'll add their name to the database search."_

" _No…" Apollonia whispered, coldly. "There is no one."_

* * *

Adeline sat cross legged in the nursery with stars speckled in her eyes. She squealed happily like a piglet. "That was beautiful!"

Apollonia shifted in her chair and shrugged her shoulders. The only bits and pieces of the story she told Adeline were that her son's birth went 'smoothly' and 'painlessly' as possible and that she wasn't in the labor for 7 hours yelling at her husband 'YOU DID THIS TO ME!" complimented with shrills of screams, and many, many more tears (by her husband.) Apolonia just recounted the tales of her little Thavma's adventures. He was a fussy little baby, who always made her smile, always warmed her heart. And that she loved him very, very much. Even if it was just for a short five months.

She would give anything to relieve those five months. To hold him in her arms once more and to hear Helios sweet him a sweet lullaby. To relieve those perfect days in the sun.

"Auntie Nia?" Adeline questioned. "I really, really want to know about his sleeping curse. And when will Thavma wake up from it? Hopefully soon. Or how else can we marry." It was important that her future husband-to-be be awake during their wedding. She'd hate for him to snore during their vows.

Oh yeah. Her little one's sleeping curse was Nia sugarcoating the truth. To Adeline, Thavma was enchanted in a never-ending nap. An eternal sleep. To Nia, her son is dead. He's been dead for almost thirteen years now. "Maybe he needs someone to save him."

Adeline's head bobbed up.

"Possibly a powerful witch or sorceress."

Adeline jumped up from the floor and yelped, triumphantly.

"Or perhaps you feel up to it?"

"I shall go on a quest!" She waved her blankie behind her back, almost like a cape, cut cooler. "And I will wake my true love from his sleeping curse, and then we'll get married!" She ran up to Nia, balancing on her toes. "Is Disneyworld a nice place to have our honeymoon?"

"Sounds lovely." Apollonia's honeymoon consisted of traveling to the next town over from theirs and staying in a Bongalo on the beach. It ended up getting knocked over by an onslaught of waves, along with a swarm of very cranky crabs, on their first (and last) night.

"And you can be my flower girl." Adeline giggled.

"Enough with your folly. It's time for lunch."

"But I want to plan my wedding nooooow." The little girl whined.

"Well yes, you can do that after you finish lunch, and eat all of your vegetables. The chef was kind enough to prepare roast chicken along with brazed carrots and broccoli."

Adeline slouched her shoulders and huffed, sorely. She grumbled, "I don't like carrots."

"I see," Nia stated. "Then I guess there will be no more talk of quests or wedding plans or honeymoons."

Later that afternoon lunch, every crumb and morsel were cleaned and licked off Adeline's plate. Including all the carrots.

* * *

Apollonia laid down in bed. She lived alone in a small, one-bedroom apartment. In truth, it was all she needed. And her job, well, she was destined to talk care of other people's children rather than her own.

But then they grow up and don't need her anymore.

She fondly remembered the pictures she took of her son all those years ago. She used an old polaroid camera and pasted the images into a scrapbook, that inevitably burned in the fire.

The crickets whistled a lonesome tune out and deep in the night.

She wished she had those pictures with her today, all those photos that burned along with her village. The only methods of remembering her darlings were through memories and songs and dreams and stories. But she would give anything, anything in the world to see his smile again. His eyes. To hear the symphony of his heart. A physical memento that captured the tilt of his head as he playfully looked up at her. The way he looked at her. A faint laugh parted through her lips. There was one photo that captured little Thavma sleeping next to Hades, and another of him being held in his father's arms next to the beehives. And then there was her favorite photo of Thavma sitting adorably in his highchair covered with tomato sauce, the noodles ended up everywhere except his mouth….no it wasn't noodles. She was feeding him chopped artichokes brazed and boiled in tomatoes. And when he smiled…..did he have a dimple in his left cheek or his right?

Apollonia slowly lifted her hand over her mouth, gravely.

She was forgetting.

Her voice tremored as tears choked her throat. Hot sobs escaped from her red brimmed eyes, plopping onto her blanket.

The pain still stung in her heart and soul, as if the wound was still fresh. It never properly healed. She forced herself under the covers. Forced herself to close the lights. Forced herself to fall asleep. But she tossed and turned and cried through the night. So, she decided to sing herself a lullaby. She was never as talented as Helios, but she still remembered those lyrics. And they brought her back to the night when it was just the three of them sitting by the hearth of the fire. To those brief moments of happiness.

 _Lay down your head and I'll sing you a lullaby, back to the years of loo-li lai-lay._

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **YUP! That was Elodea's mom and she is still alive, but she doesn't know that her son is alive and goes by a different name now. I wanted to post this chapter for ATWW's 2 year anniversary! I hope you guys liked the chapter and please leave a review, it would make me so happy if you did. Bye!**


	42. Chapter 38: Dirty x Little x Secret

**Hi everyone! Over the summer I was able to accomplish quite a bit of writing for this fic, I just finished writing chapter 42 last night! (YAY!) Tomorrow is my first day back to school *gulps* and I am nervous... I will also be publishing chapter 39 (the last chapter of part 3) next month, and it really pulls the story together and closes up some loose ends, especially between Killua and Elodea (I was very emotional writing it ;A; )**

 **This shout out goes to Yui, the official Mother (TM) of the story (yes, that's a thing I made up lol ), without you I wouldn't have made it this far with this project, without you I would have given up, without you I would have never joined that hellsite that is called Tumblr. Your support, reviews, and friendship mean the world to me and I am so HAPPY that we're friends! I LOVE YOU! *hearts* The Salty Marshmallow ship sails on XDDDD (and thank you Tasare for creating the best ship name in existence! You have the Salty Marshmallow's gratitude haha )**

 **This is a shout out to the ghost readers... *hugs* TBH I'm relieved that some of you guys still read this story, whether you like one bit of it or parts of it or even the whole. TBH I'm just happy that there are still some readers interested in ATWW hahaha If you ever want to pop into the reviews and say hello that would be cool too.**

 **I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! The song that inspired this chapter was 'Dirty Little Secret' by the All American Rejects :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 38: Dirty x Little x Secret **

Never in Alligator's life as a champion, a 'king' of noble chimera ant blood, fall prey and utterly defeated by none other than to his dinner. To a little human boy. It was as if he was manhandled by a bony, chicken wing. A chicken wing that had a lot of spunk. Saturated with valor and a desire for vengeance.

Alligator thought that his death would transcend that of the 'real' ant king, Meruem. He already formulated his own death, how and where it would happen. In impeccable detail. He would die in the sea, surrounded by a swarm of the abyss's deadliest and fearsome and hideous creatures. After ripping them to shreds Alligator would turn the ocean's waves a deep and murky red from the blood of his enemies. His epic battle and death would be told as a heroic tale of the Glutton King, and all other chimera ants would awe and revere his name. He would die in glory after a long, arduous battle. But now, he laid motionless on the ground. His eyelids drifting up and down, slowly. The moon phased through the sky and the sky lightened. Shedding its black tones to gray and blue. The ant's jaw hung open, revealing a plethora of cracked and broken and chipped teeth. His death was destined to be on land, not at all like he planned. And not as glorious or triumphant either. His body was mangled and destroyed and ruined.

What a shame, Alligator thought, the world missed out on his brilliance.

Its squinty eyes hovered towards the boy, and that phantom beast over his shoulders. That nen beast snickered at the wretched monstrous thing on the ground, amused. Oh, and then there was Alligator, but the phantom paid no heed to that broken and misshaped husk of a broken king. Its ghastly eyes, that which looked like luminous flames, locked onto to its host. To boy with the amethyst eyes and blackened heart. It made a wretched sound, a distorted yowl that could have been mistaken as a laugh.

Alligator then thought of his early life and the days when he first awoken as a chimera ant. _He cracked through his shell and grimaced at the light seeping through the cracks in the cave, gazing upon all chimera ants to awaken before him and those who have yet to come to life-_ [NOOOooooo. Alligator does not get or deserve a flashback scene. There has been too many of those already. Back to the present please.]

The dark sonata was very picky. It only liked to be played by the wretched and the damned, since those maestros sorrows were true, and they lamented beautifully. Elodea was a perfect host for it.

Elodea's breath hitched, erratically. He sucked in the salty air and heard the wind whistle through the branches and leaves and bark bristle against each other. The wind sung an enchanting melody, accompanied by an ensemble of chirping birds and crickets and grasshoppers. His steps dragged across the dirt grounds, leaving behind two long, continuous trails.

The Dark Symphony ended and so did the chimera ant. Elodea lifted his hands and silenced the phantom, commanding this sorrowful symphony to end. The phantom faded into wisps of purple and gray then nothing at all.

It seemed as if a thousand tons of earth lifted from Elodea's shoulders. He could breath again. His body felt light and he fell down to the ground with an exhausted thud. His body wanted to sleep, but he forced his eyes to stay open.

The ant's voice cracked through the breaking dawn of the morning, groaning. Light seeped past the horizon, rays shimmered off Elodea's hair, shining fragments of scarlet strands. Sometimes the summer sun did that to his hair. It collected fragments of burning red light, giving his dull and black hair a flair of color. The sun shined on top of Alligator's scales as well, shining unto pools of already red blood. It looked sickly.

The ant's aura was barely audible. It was going to die soon. And Elodea caused that. He wasn't sure how he felt, about causing another living creature's demise, when all his life he was taught that life was sacred and valuable. His father taught him that. The symphony of people's hearts taught him that.

His heart ached thinking of Killua. Of his dad.

Then he remembered why he did this putrid act. And his remorse diminished with the ant's aura.

The ant stammered. "B-Bring me to the ocean. A-A king should die at sea." A last request. Then, just like turning off a light. The ant's aura silenced entirely. It was dead.

And Elodea stood over it, living.

He didn't know what overcame him to grab the monster's tail and drag it towards the cliff. He thought of leaving the carcass behind, so seagulls and crabs and cayotes can feast off its remains. That it should just rot in the sand and borrows without prayers or mourners.

Elodea would not mourn for this creature, but he will give it a funeral. Not necessarily a proper one, there would be no eulogy or flowers or professional mourners. Throwing a body off a cliff and into the torrent waves below didn't seem like a 'proper' funeral at all. Elodea looked down over the cliff and saw jagged rocks below. He squinted his eyes. He could have sworn he saw a skeleton, that or it was the lack of light or abundance of white foam of the waves bursting past the rocks deceiving his eyes.

Well, there will be one down there soon enough.

Elodea groaned as he hauled the massive beast towards the edge. A sharp pain rose in his arm as blood trickled down from his shoulder. Did he…did he break his arm during the fight? He bit and hissed his tongue, bitterly. A flood of pain consumed him, as he silently screamed and curled into a ball.

The wind brushed against his forehead, cooling his brow. Elodea wiped his sweat and blood drenched palms on his pants.

He breathed.

How does one start a start a eulogy? Usually one would start by saying how much the deceased individual was loved and cherished and that their descent to heaven was painless, and not at all brutally murdered, as possible.

Elodea looked at the creature's cracked jaw, it's broken and teared skin, and lack of various vital and inconsequential limbs…

Okay. Another way to start a eulogy is to compliment the person, or ant. But Elodea hated the guy. Hated its guts and head and crooked smile and the way it talked and everything else. There was nothing good to say about this beast.

Finally, he figured out what to say.

"Sorry." He whispered gravely. He drew in the dirt with his finger, drawing a continuous circle over and over again. _I killed you before you could hurt more people, for all the hunters and innocents you killed before. I killed you because you violated the law. I ended your life, so you wouldn't end others. I killed…_ There was no justification for what he's done. No matter how many reasons he came up with."I ended your life because you hurt my dad's. You ruined his life." Was what he said. He plummeted his face into his hands, his hands and shoulders and body were shaking. He acted out on anger, on vengeance….

He didn't like it.

Hot sobs and tears streamed down Elodea's eyes. His breath hitched as he sucked in the air and choked on it, as more tears rolled off his cheeks, clearing away the remnants of blood; his mixed with the monster's. Finally, he said the truth. "I'm the one who ruined by dad's life…dad."

A torrent of memories consumed his mind. He recounted his behavior and his actions. He was so cruel and unkind. When was the last time he said he loved Killua? Not recently, Elodea recalled.

"I-I said I hated him," He wailed, remembering the night they argued. Among the memories of even more arguments that were futile and unnecessary and pointless. Wishing he could take back every nasty and cruel word he said to him. Crying into his hands and knees. "Dad."

A hand tapped his shoulder.

"Dad!?" Elodea whipped his head around and shouted.

His smile faded. And his lips quivered uncontrollably as he hid his face in his hands, wiping away his tears in disgrace.

"I found him! I found him!" Thalassa patted Elodea's shoulder repeatedly, wagging her tail. Waving to Madrid and Puntos. "Hurry! Hurry! Come faster!"

Puntos gazed at the dead chimera ant then to Elodea then back to the ant. "So…you want us to help you dispose the body?"

Thalassa struck her webbed fin against his zygomatic bone, "Disposing of the body is the least of his problems! He needs nurturing care from his friends and family after surviving this traumatic battle!"

"Where are we going to find those?" Puntos added as another slap greeted his cheek. "What? Do you want me to magically pull them out of my tail fin?"

As Puntos and Thalassa were swept up in a pointless battle of their own. Madrid sat down next to Elodea, placing a hand on his shoulder. The boy welcomed the gesture and leaned his head into her shoulder. Her heart winced as she looked down on him, he reminded her so much of her brother. Shion.

Madrid lifted her hand and waved towards Thalassa. The two nen beasts were in a heated dual and by heated, Thalassa snatched Puntos by the tip of his tail and was waving him like a piñata. Upon the realization that she was being called, she dropped the sardine on his head and swam towards Madrid.

Thalassa rested in the crook of Madrid's neck, placed her webbed fin on the woman's vocal cords, and opened her jaw. _Borrow._

Her words were eloquent and poised and not at all deadly. "I don't suppose you want to talk about what happened on this cliff, now do you? Personally, I'm quiet and keep to myself after long and gruel battles. But then again, I'm usually quiet most of the time anyway." She smiled. "You were very brave; do you know that?"

Elodea lifted his head at a slug's pace, along with his eyebrow, and his jaw dropped, unhinged like Alligator's. "Madrid, you can talk? But I thought-wait, for how long could you-"

Her laugh was as sweet as bells. Chiming and ringing at a lovely tempo. "Just like you, I prefer to share my voice with those who matter."

 _Borrow_. A technique that permits Madrid to speak with her original voice she borrows from her nen beasts. She can speak in her own tongue for two minutes at a time, with ten-minute waiting intervals in between. A technique learned after three years mute. Though, she prefers using sign language since after speaking for two minutes and cutting off conversation with someone, they end up thinking you are giving them the cold and utterly snobbish silent treatment. A frightful and terribly awkward ability all by itself.

"Elodea." She cupped Elodea's hand in to hers. Elodea wasn't the first to kill a chimera ant. Madrid had her fair share post chimera ant war. Whole colonies of ants laid dead at her feet. "I'm concerned for you. Not only that you defeated this chimera ant alone, which on behalf of Islands, I thank you for protecting my citizens, but also that nen beast attached to your spirit. It's not a friendly one at that, and one not formed from a nen vow either. It was acquired through a third party, wasn't it?"

Elodea nodded. Slightly frightened. Slightly dazed. Slightly confused. Mostly hurt and withered in pain. "It appeared whenever I played the Dark Sonata. But when I did play its score…it felt right, and I was happy and I didn't want to stop. My dad ended up burning the score, because he didn't want to see me in pain…I can see why now. Ugh, I'm so stupid for not listening to him before." The words sank in as Elodea said them. Killua burned the sonata to save him and Elodea just made everything that much worse.

The phantom beast, once released from its paper cage, needed a new host to house itself. It lived in a music score that bestowed fear and misery into those who played it and to those who heard it. Now it lived in the boy, and as long as misery and sadness stirred in Elodea's heart, it did not intend to leave anytime soon.

"That's its lore and hook. Many nen curses I've encountered are founded on that principle. My own nen ability gave me a voice that could defeat all my enemies, well, any person in general really. But not everyone is my enemy. It was an exchange for my own voice, which now embodies my nen beasts. What about you?"

He told her what the Phantom was capable of. "Every time I stop playing, I feel miserable and rotten." He told Madrid of his _Dark Symphony_ ability, and how it makes him feel empty. He hid his face in his knees and muffled his voice. "I really don't like it. Then I'm reminded of every sad and unhappy memory I've ever experienced. A lot of them involve me and my dad. Which makes it a lot worse." A whimper escaped his lips. "He saved me, not just here on the islands, but so many times after, and I thank him by saying I hate him. What monster says that to their hero?"

Madrid wrapped her arm around Elodea as he cried, letting it all out. The Phantom beast was a peculiar thing. It fed off other's sorrow and unhappiness, and it gorged itself on Elodea's. Especially after this battle. No one is ever the same after the walk out of a storm. "I want to tell him that I'm sorry, but what if he doesn't forgive me? He won't…I know it."

"I never liked mine either. But let me tell you something. Let your past touch you. Look at it. I mean really look at it and understand it. The past rarely doesn't hurt and sting. Pick it apart and put it together and tear it apart. Look at it again. Then let it go. That is how you move on and free yourself."

Time was up, and Madrid's voice disappeared. She shrugged her shoulders, smiled, and signed to the child. _Love yourself. Always love yourself and those who care for you. You are your father's strength, and he is yours._

Elodea sniffed and fumbled with his hands to make the signs. Madrid guided them and folded them in hers. _Love myself._ She taught him these special words.

" _What would you like to do now?"_ She signed.

Elodea looked beyond the cliff, towards the sun rising over the horizon. The sky faded from blue and into shades of light pink and white as they glimmered off the ocean's waters.

There was a tale about sunrises on the Islands. They always foretold stories of new beginnings and hope.

Thalassa and Puntos swam in the air above, their scales glistening under the sun. They circled around Elodea and sang a melody. An enchanting melody spun from old tales of myth and lore. Tales of new beginnings and found hope. Both the nen beasts shed their scaly husks and they shimmered with fragments of light. A brilliance mimicking the stars. Their bodies began to take shape.

Elodea held his breath.

They were beautiful.

Thalassa and Puntos transformed into the beauty of the old gods and goddesses of the sea. Their skin flourished with color, and their blood filled with glory. Their tails transformed from a dark green and into a cerulean blue, coated with radiant gems while their heads were adorned with crowns made of water weeds. Fully bloomed. They touched their crowned heads against the other and sang.

Elodea looked down towards his wounds, feeling the pain subside, until it disappeared entirely. His broken arm no longer ached, and it was no longer broken either. He flexed his fingers slowly, amazed.

 _Evanescence._ A healing ability that is only awakened at the hours of dawn. A time when dark turns to light, and the world is filled with promises and new beginnings. A time for healing and self-reflection.

" _I healed your wounds, but I cannot take away your nen beast. That is something you have to do by yourself."_

The sun rose above the ocean and Elodea hugged Madrid, and Thalassa and Puntos reverted to their previous fishy forms and dogpiled on top of the two. Puntos let the tears flow from his eye sockets, oh how he loved happy endings.

Together, they pushed the fallen chimera ant over the cliff. The body crashed against the waves, and it disappeared under the sea of foam. Okay, so not everyone got a happy ending, but that's how the tides flow. The riptides sway in both directions.

Elodea wiped the tears away from his eyes and said with a new-found spirit. "I want to go home."

Madrid was already one step ahead.

* * *

It was one thing to anger one Zoldyck, but it was another tragedy to anger two.

Especially if they are both your parents. You might as well get started on writing out your will, or obituary. In this case, the two Zoldyck children wrote a very lengthy and repetitive apology letter. Their parents watched them with scrutinizing gazes.

Koh's hand was beginning to cramp after writing 'I'm sorry' for the eighty-seventh time. He looked over to Reye who was sitting on a tatami mat beside him, also writing a lengthy apology. She glared back at him and scoffed in his direction.

"Did you see that!?" Koh bellowed at his parents, "She's not even sorry!"

"He's lying!" Reye hissed in return. "God Koh, why do you always have to be the center of attention."

"You ruined my sketchbooks!" Koh stood up on his knees.

"That doesn't even compete with how you utterly destroyed my dresses! Only because you need to keep your filthy dogs outside!"

"They. Are. Teething! I told you already! Do you know nothing of early pup development!?"

"THEY ARE PAST TEETHING!"

"I'M NURTURING THEM!"

"Enough," A voice half whispered, half yelled. Completely terrifying and monstrous. Kalluto Zoldyck faced both of his eldest children. His gaze sharpened and pierced through them. The two children immediately knew their place, as they silenced and continued to take their hands off the other's necks. They sat back down on the tatami mat and faced their heads down, sweat trickling from their brows.

Time for a little recap as to why the Zoldyck children have unfavorably garnered their parent's wrath. Koh was minding his own business one very hot afternoon and brought his pack of wolves inside the air-conditioned and ice-cold manor house. It was refreshing for the eighth month old pups whose new adult teeth were just coming in. Apparently, Reye and Grandmother Kikyo went on a shopping trip to Milan and bought many, many luxurious dresses and gowns and frilly skirts. It was one activity that truly bonded daughter and granddaughter. Maxing out their credit cards in all the fashion capitals of the world. Well, as their helpless dresses laid on their hangers and in boxes waiting to be delivered to Reye and Kikyo's room, the little puppies stumbled upon them. And these poor little puppies and their poor little gums and their poor little sharp teeth had nothing to relieve themselves of the pain of teething. So, the pups took it upon themselves to solve their teething problem as quickly as possible.

Nothing was spared from the shopping haul, not even the big, poofy hats.

In a fit of rage, Reye stormed to Koh's room and demolished several of his sketchbooks and one painting he recently finished painting. It was a painting of the ocean's cerulean waves crashing onto a rocky beach. Koh started the painting when Illumi bought him new paints and brushes. When Koh came back to his room, after Reye's ruthless retaliation, he didn't realize that he pained the red sea instead of a blue one. Reye slathered red paint all over his masterpiece. For a moment he wished it was her own temperamental blood, instead of her wasting his good paint.

So, he charged into her room with a can of paint in his hands, and started dousing it all over her wardrobe…

They are both ill-tempered and vengeful and act out of anger. Which were not seldom qualities of Zoldyck family members. But Kalluto, as head of the family, wanted to change that. His wife, Violante Medici Zoldyck, was seated next to him. Violante was born to a very long line of the infamous Medici Family, a family who were once the tyrants of Florence and specialized in the art of poison and murder, and of course assassination. Koh recalled his parents _love_ story that was romanticized way more than necessary. The story goes that they were both unknowingly hired to kill the same target. Violante was the one to assassinate the target first, with a concoction of brewed nightshade she slipped into the dead man's drink. Kalluto planned to easily slit the man's throat with his paper fan. But, it was in the dead man's parlor where they first met. They locked glances, silence would have surrounded them if not for the wail of police sirens and cop cars swarming outside the mansion. Violante fled from the scene first and neither said a word to the other.

Soon after, Violante received a job by an anonymous client (with secure credentials) to kill Kalluto Zoldyck. It was only then did she arrive at the destination site to assassinate him when she found out he was the anonymous client himself. She asked him why he pursued this crazy act. Why he funded his own death.

 _I had to see you once more,_ Kalluto said to her that day. In the morning, Violante thought it was just another hit job. In the evening, she was asked out on her first date. At midnight, she knew she wanted to marry this man.

According to Koh's parents, it was very romantic. Koh wanted to barf.

Violante was beautiful, poised, elegant, but more importantly, was a perfect match for a son of the Zoldyck family. They were menacing and cruel and relished each other's rotten qualities. Soon they married and had three children, the first is Reye, the second is Koh, and the third is their darling little Claira who is two and half years old.

Violante wore a white and laced linen dress. The sleeves were laced with designs of snowflakes and so was the neck of her dress. Her hair was as dark as ebony wood and her eyes were as blue as cornflowers, the kind next to her poisonous herb garden (a perfect addition to the Zoldyck estate.) She ran her fingers through her beautiful daughter's moonlight hair. Claira's hair sparkled like starlight and her eyes were the same cornflower blue as her mother's, and even her estranged uncle she does not know of, yet. Little Claira wore a pastel pink dress adorned with ribbons and a star clip in her hair. Moonlight spilled over her shoulders, while dark matter that whirled like rapid torrents graced over her mother's.

Innocent Claira was too preoccupied playing with her mother's bracelet to notice her older brother and sister being admonished and scolded by their parents. Unbeknownst to Claira, they looked very, very angry. Claira was also preoccupied playing tea party with the most elite group of magical and stuffed animal friends she has. There was Barnabas the Bear (who wore a top hat), Delilah the Duck (who wore a feather boa), and Yui the Bunny (who was perfect the way she was). Claira didn't need to tell Barnabas and Delilah that Yui was her favorite, as she sliced a big piece of imaginary chocolate cake for Yui and put it on her plate. Yui was also the first to have her imaginary tea poured in her butterfly teacup. Claira loved Yui very, very much.

Kalluto continued. "The disappointment that spills from my heart is enough to fill the divide you two created between yourselves. Tell me, should I let my anger get the best of me by allowing one of you to walk out to mike with a dead animal's hide strapped around your neck?"

"Reye volunteers." Koh muttered under his breath.

Both of the children were met with a menacing wave of aura that sent them tremoring. Many fortunate people have no idea what it's like, growing up with targets on your backs, even at home.

"Sorry," Koh muttered softly.

Their father looked away from both of them, staring somewhere else entirely. Either he was too ashamed to be their father, or he was growing bored of them already. "You fight each other as if you are enemies, but it's superfluous seeing that the world has provided enough of that for us already. Your enemies love to see you quarrel and fight each other, so that you are too preoccupied releasing your blades to your own blood and become blind to the blades behind your backs. There is no else in the world that will protect you except your own brothers and sisters." His eyes locked against theirs, bitterly. "Only fools turn on their own family and have nothing left in return. Remember your _other_ uncle?"

"Yes father," the two children chorused together. Their _other_ uncle was the one with the _lost soul_ , the one who cowardly threw away his title as family hair, that's what their parents would say. They also said this Killua person will come back once he straightens out his priorities, if he ever gets over his 'weed' problem (Which Reye and Koh misunderstood entirely from the truth.) Uncle Illumi was doing everything in his power to help their estranged and lost uncle come back home. Personally, the children have never met this uncle before, but they figured after all the damage he has caused the family, they knew he wasn't going to come back any time soon, considering how messed up he is. He has not been home in 22 years. What's going to make him come back now anyway?

That's what uncle Illumi was working on.

Kalluto pondered what to do with his children, throw them in solitary confinement, or to the dogs. When he was about to speak of a more fitting punishment, a hand tapped his shoulder. His gaze always did seem to soften when he looked at Violante. Seemed to, that is.

"It is hard to control those who think themselves to be kings and queens in their own right." Violante said, caressing her hand along his arm.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Ours." She stated, bluntly.

Reye wanted to gawk. Why did her father smile at that?

"Now," Violante's hand fell into Kalluto's, fingers intertwined like vines. "I believe that in order for Reye and Koh to mend the bond between them, it is necessary for them to spend time together."

Reye and Koh's eyes widened, horrified. Anything but that! Torture! Starvation! Educational television! Anything but spending time together!

"Then they should accompany each other on jobs like I did with my brothers." Kalluto suggested.

Violante tried not to give a sour face. It didn't work. "One doesn't make friends through work."

"We met through work."

"Yes, but I wanted to kill you more than a few times."

He shrugged and didn't seem to think it was a big deal. Then Kalluto kissed her hand. "And here we are."

Violante blushed.

 _Get a room_ , Reye thought to herself and rolled her eyes.

"Children, If I married the first man who asked me to kill him, then it wouldn't have been your father I chose to marry."

Kalluto turned his head towards his wife. What? He wasn't the first one to ask her to kill him? And he thought he was being original, asking her out on a first date while she poisoned his water supply. Ah, the Medici women were truly dangerous creatures. How he loved her so.

"They should do something fun together, don't you think?"

Kalluto didn't have an inkling as to what fun is or how the two of his children would find it together. So, Kalluto and Violante agreed to free their children's hit list and schedule in some family fun time. Whatever activities Reye and Koh decided to do together. (of course, they were also grounded and many of their personal items of interest were taken away. Such as Koh's drawing supplies and sketchbooks, and Reye's laptops and plethora of K-pop merch. This broke her heart, and even more so that her cardboard cutout of BTS's Rap Monster was taken away. He was her bias.)

The two siblings sat facing each other in a hallway. Hearing the clock tick away. Reye crossed her arms, beyond furious that all her electronics were taken away and she has no way of watching a new episode of Exo's _Showtime_. She was going to miss all nine of her biases being adorable and hunky on camera. Instead, she was forced to spend her waking hours with her bratty brother, who was currently picking wax out of his ear. She mouthed 'eew,' silently.

A butler walked down the hallway and past the siblings. News spread fast around the manor's staff about the sibling's plight to get along. "Are you guys having fun?"

The siblings stared silently at the butler, glaring.

The butler hastily walked away. Avoiding eye contact.

Koh spontaneously walked away, and Reye spoke. "And where do you think you're going? We're supposed to be having _fun_." She emphasized, "Remember?"

"We're not going to have fun silently sitting in a hallway. I, for one, have a perfect idea to have fun."

Reye followed Koh out of boredom, as he smugly walked with his hands in his pockets, "It better be."

They stopped in front of Illumi's room.

Reye smacked Koh's shoulder, he barked back. "You said this would be fun. Ugh, Uncle Illumi is such a bore….no offense."

Koh shrugged since Reye was half right.

She turned the handle of his door, already proving her theory. "His door is locked, and he is not even here. He's out on business. Maybe we can feed birds to Mike or something."

"Mike doesn't eat birds." He gave her the 'you know absolutely nothing' look. "And FYI—

"No one says that anymore." She returned the 'you know absolutely nothing' with a pinch of 'get your facts straight moron' look. "Only old farts (like Illumi) say that to make themselves look cool."

Koh snorted.

"What's so funny?"

"You said farts."

Reye rolled her eyes 180 degrees like a protractor. "So, we're not here to pay our _cool_ uncle a visit, then we must be here to," she gasped. "You want to snoop around his room!?"

"Yup," Koh admitted, honestly. This is a normal past time Koh partakes in, rummaging through people's stuff. He sniffed through his parents, grandparents, butlers, head butlers, sous chef's rooms, and that weird, deserted vault several meters below ground filled with stuffed animals and toys and the walls are painted with colorful flowers and palm trees and clouds (Koh theorized that there is a ghost child living in there.)

"Have you been in my room?" Reye asked, her voice potentially fuming with fire.

"No," He has. Koh has even read her diary, which did not live up the hype the media portrays it to be. Every page is about her favorite Exo members and how cute they are. If Koh reads one more remark about the curvature and hunkiness of a pop star's abs, then he is going to personally bleach his own eyes. "I would usually go into Illumi's room by myself, when he is not around, but he changed the lock on his door (again), so I can't get in."

" _Gee,_ I really wonder why he did that."

"Can you do it?" Koh asked, then added a pout with starry eyes. "Pleeeeeease. This is the perfect bonding time mother and father want from us."

Reye flipped a strand of black hair over her shoulder. Hm. She has never been to her needle obsessed uncle's room before. She imagined he slept in a coffin, or whatever deadly and ugly creatures of the night sleep in. Or his bed was spiked with needles and the walls oozed with green slime and muck. She imagined his room to be have a medieval and feudal quality to it. Well, there was only one way to find out. Anything to pass the time while missing _Showtime_. "I hate that your right. Let's do it."

"Yay."

Reye breathed and focused her aura around her body. Concentration filled her mind as her nen began to take form. Her skin and complexion became faint and see-through, almost like that of a ghost. She took one step forward then another and easily walked straight through the locked door without a hassle.

 _Ghost Walker._ It is a transmutation ability that allows Reye to become intangible and pass through physical objects. Like that of a ghost. Nonetheless, it was a marvelous nen ability for an assassin to have in their skill set, and her parents were very proud. Koh on the other hand, promising as he is, has not developed his nen ability. But he was more concerned with his drawings and paintings and puppies to really care about forming one.

The locked clicked and the door swung open with ease. Allowing Koh to walk straight into the lion's den.

"Thank you, Reye. You're the best."

"I know, but you're welcome anyway." She walked around Illumi's room. There were no spikes for beds or coffins or green slime oozing out from the walls. The room looked, well, normal. Which was honestly creepier than oozing green slime coming out of the walls, considering this is Illumi's room all the same. Reye folded her arms to her sides, not wanting to touch anything.

His room was normal, but it was boringly plain. There was a cabinet full of knives and needles and dirks and other deadly weapons, but that was normal by Zoldyck Family standards. The bed was neatly folded with a single pillow in the middle, it was as if nobody slept there. There were a few oddly designed knickknacks that seemed out of place, like a metallic alarm clock in the shape of an owl then an normal looking one next to it. Reye looked over at the curtains, which were a dull blue color.

"The last time I was here, those curtains were red."

Reye feigned a smile, "Right. Because I _totally care_ about a middle-aged man's interior design choices. Red curtains. Who would have ever guessed." Reye humored herself thinking the red curtains were stained with his enemy's blood and that's why they were red instead of blue. She sauntered over to his closet to look at his clothes, surprised not to find a dead body in there. Surprised, but disappointed. She flipped through his wardrobe of mossy green suits filled with needles and outdated oriental inspired clothing. Reye disdainfully closed the wardrobe. Nobody in her family has fashion sense like she does. She felt blessed that she didn't inherit such tacky taste.

Koh crawled on the ground and looked under the bed. "It's not here. He must have moved it."

"What is?"

"Okay, there was this box, and there were things in it."

"Ew," Repulsion covered her face. "I don't want to know about the weird things he keeps hidden in a box."

Koh was taken back. "There weren't any weird things, help me find it and you'll see for yourself."

Reye had to keep convincing and justifying to herself that this was the reason she was missing all her nine boyfriends smiling at her through the television. So, they divided the room, and searched for a 'mysterious' box. Reye patted a desk, which was organized with needles and gadgets and outlines for more needles and gadgets, where she discovered a drawer that was shallower than the others. Suspicion crept up her spine as she inspected the corners and sides, until she came across a small latch, and finally a _click_. The bottom floor of the drawer popped opened revealing a hidden compartment underneath. And in that compartment was a box.

She lifted the box in her hand, small and light. "Is this what you were looking for? A 'thank you' would suffice."

"That's it! Thanks Reye! You're better than the best."

"I know. I know." Flattery lead Koh nowhere but she smiled and accepted them all the same, smugly. "So, what's so special about this box that he has to hide? Mainly from your grubby hands."

Koh opened the box as they both leaned over and examined the contents. Suddenly, Koh discovered an ancient relic of the past that he thought was destroyed off the face of the earth eons ago.

It was an iPod.

Reye touched the black screen with her finger. "Is this a touch screen?" She kept tapping it to see if it would turn on. It didn't.

Koh shook his head, "No, they had to use actual buttons for these things, to turn it on and off and select music. Y'know, like dial phones have buttons."

Ugh, Illumi had phones when he was a kid? He seemed too ancient to Reye to live in an era filled with technology. She knew he didn't live in a feudal era kind of world, just the era in-between that and 100 or so years ago.

There was a bulky power button on the metallic back of the device. Tiny pinpricks adorned the bottom section, they guessed that this device had a built-in speaker as well. When they turned it over, there was an engraving that consisted of two letters, _OZ_.

After switching the button, the screen burned bright, even though they initially thought the battery to be burnt out.

"Don't you have to recharge these things for like, I don't know, hours?" Reye suggested, uncertainly.

Koh shrugged his shoulders. He had no more of an inkling as Reye did about this prehistoric music box. Reye rubbed her finger against the circular control panel, it almost functioned like a touch screen, but she had to press down buttons too. No wonder these devises went extinct. Suddenly, music blared.

'I'LL KEEP YOU MY DIRTY LITTLE SECRET! DIRTY LITTLE SECRET!'

"Turn it off," Koh half yelled, half whispered.

"I don't even know how I turned it on," Reye half yelled, half whispered. She tossed it to him like it was a hot potato.

'DON'T TELL ANYONE OR YOU'LL BE JUST ANOTHER REGRET! JUST ANOTHER REGRET!'

In a panicked state, Koh was tempted to break the iPod and silence it forever. But that was a definite no-no. Then he muffled the device towards this stomach, muffling the sound of punk rock and slightly emo music. Finally, realizing that there were speakers on the side of the iPod. Koh huffed and just turned the switch off. A welcoming silence followed the music.

"That was a close one." Koh breathed, keeping a hand pressed against his heart just in case it was still going to pop out of his chest.

Reye looked to the door, worriedly. No one came.

The next items of interest were quieter than the last (thank god.) There was an outdated ticket for a blimp (at least by twenty years) and its destination was a country outside the Republic of Padokia. The next was a single strip of black and white photo booth pictures. Four pictures lined up one on top of the other, consisting of two boys.

Reye squinted her eyes and examined the photo out of Koh's hands. "Wait, is that uncle Illumi? As a kid?"

Koh swiped the picture back, "Illumi was once a kid?" Who knew. For one, his hair was a lot shorter, and he had bangs. He was hard to recognize, except his monotone expression was the same, and his eyes were as dull and expressionless as ever. In the first three photos, Illumi stood there dull and expressionless. While the other boy in the photo was smiling and full of life and made beyond goofy facial expressions. The other boy's hair was tied back in a bun and he wore the uniform of the Zoldyck staff butlers. In the third photo, the boy poked kid Illumi's cheek with his finger. But in the fourth photo, astonishingly, Illumi was smiling. And it wasn't one of those feigned or annoyed smiles. It was a canon, crooked, unperturbed smile as if someone just erupted into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. His eyes looked brighter in that one photo too.

He looked like a normal and happy teenager.

What the hell went wrong?

Since when was their uncle capable of smiling so happily? They just found out that he was once a kid (surprising, right?) and now that there was once a time when he was happy. They flipped over the photo set and read the writing on the back, 'OZ and me-Carnival.'

Reye took out her phone and snapped a shot of the booth pictures and other mementos from times past. Many of which connected with this mysterious figure named Oz. "That boy was wearing a butler's uniform, and I'm guessing his name is Oz from the back of the photo, you think he still works here?"

Koh shook his head, uncertain. "I mean, there are a lot of butlers who work in the manor, but I have never been this guy before. It's not like he's a kid anymore either. He's probably Illumi's age now…how old is Illumi?"

"Forty-six."

Koh nodded his head silently. He didn't think his uncle was that old, but oh well. Unbeknownst to Koh that was a perfectly young age, said someone who was forty-six once.

Reye finished taking photos all the artifacts of interest and put a hand on her hip. "Then let's find out who he is."

The idea of snooping around more excited Koh. "Uncle Illumi never talks about his past and I doubt us asking him in person would make him eager to tell." The ends of his mouth curled, and his eyes narrowed, enticed in the mystery ahead of them. "So, we're going to have to do a lot of undercover work, incognito style."

They left the room and placed all the objects back where they were originally left. Putting the box back in its hidden compartment, smoothing out their footsteps on the carpet, removing their finger prints off wooden surfaces and handles, relocking the door (they were raised to be assassins after all.)

Their mother and father wanted them to spend time together, doing any 'fun' activities Reye and Koh deemed fit for themselves. They found one, and their alibi was Chinese checkers. But now they were sleuths, detectives, the sibling duo Sherlock Holmes aficionados uncovering the mystery of the boy who once made their miserable uncle smile and laugh. The case was cold and there were very few clues.

Reye and Koh had a dirty little secret, a sworn pact to uncover their uncle's dirty little secret.

* * *

 _It was his first time at a carnival._

 _One that Oz dragged him to. Although, he really didn't mind. He was growing accustomed to Oz's spontaneous day trips._

" _You've never been in a photobooth before?" Oz asked the boy, flabbergasted._

 _He shook his head, slightly._

" _You really do live under a rock y'know."_

" _Technically, my family and I live under a mountain." The boy shrugged his shoulders._

 _A laugh escaped through Oz's lips. The boy wanted to bottle it up and keep it safe. "Then what are we waiting for, let's go make history."_

 _Oz grabbed unto the boy's hand. It was warm and light._

 _In the photo booth madness ensued._

" _Uh, the whole point of taking a picture is smiling. C'mon let me see that big, beautiful smile."_

" _No."_

 _Oz thumped his head against the boy's shoulder. Oz's hair tickled his chin. The boy fought the urge to snort from the touch. "You. Are. Making. This. So. Impossible."_

" _Good."_

 _Another photo was taken, the timer going off once more._

 _Oz poked the boy's cheek with his finger, repeatedly. "I know it's in you."_

" _I will bite off your finger."_

" _Roar, back at you." Oz poked the boy's cheek one more time and gave it a good poke too. "You're all bark and no bite. Just admit it."_

 _The boy clicked his teeth together, which made Oz laugh._

 _The timer was about to go off one last time. When Oz leaned into the boy's ear and whispered a delight, a secret unbeknownst to the world around them. It was just them in the photo booth. "Illumi," The words after became lost between decadent whispers._

 _The camera flashed._

 _Capturing the smiles and laughter of the two boys, and their dirty little secret._

* * *

 **THANKS FOR READING! *high fives* Here is the age old question: Did you like this chapter!? IF SO, WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT!? hahahaha**

 **So nothing beats beating up an alligator to sort your feelings, right? XD AHEM! Elodea and Killua are finally going to reunite in the next chapter and I am so excited for y'all to read it XD (I cried, no joke, do y'all ever cry reading this fic, just curious :) it's not my intention to make peeps cry but I like angst so that's what you are going to get lol) Some new characters were introduced! Violante and Claira Zoldyck! If you go on my tumblr (and for my story blog too) you can see some art I drew, AND you can see some lovely gifts and crossovers made by Oreozfox XDD And our evil villain, Illumi, has a dirty little secret that involves a certain Zoldyck butler from his past ;) dun dunn dunnnn I've been having a lot of fun writing their backstory together and that is something to expect from part 4 of this fic, Illumi + Oz = Ozumi, the birth of a new ship name lol**

 **Don't be shy to leave a review, I will love you forever if you do *hearts***

 **Thank for reading! Bye!**


	43. Cinderella AU Special

**HELLO! I'm going to be posting chapter 39 (the last chapter of part 3) on oct. 31st! SO FOR THIS MONTH i'm posting the Cinderella AU I wrote over the summer :D I wanted to post something happy and fun, with no tear jerking scenes for this month and for my birthday XD which was September 30th XD (i'm now 22 :D) I was going to post this chapter on the dot but things got busy O_o AHEM!**

 **Thank you to everyone for the birthday wishes AND THANK YOU TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE! MY WIFE! MY ANGELIC MERCY! THE OFFICIAL MOTHER OF ATWW! YUIIIIIII *hearts* (aka kigamin) Yui commissioned art of Elodea and HE IS SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL AND HE'S HOLDING CAKE AND I WANT TO SMOTHER HIM WITH CUDDLES! IT'S THE MOST GORGEOUS THING I HAVE EVER SEEN JDHGJDD He's the new lock screen on my phone btw XD I died, I revived, ( I squeaked fgdfg ) and I still can't stop staring at him! I AM MADLY IN LOVE WITH THIS ELODEA XDD He's so perfect! I love it! and I love you sooooooo much fgdfgdfg (and I died at least 5498354 time with all those reviews you sent me dfgdfgfd) thank you, doll *hearts* AND THANK YOU TO OREOZFOX! who always draws me the cutest art of our ocs together! and she knows my love for marshmallows and is the cutest XDD thank you sweetie!**

 **OH! and to answer caliope07's question: thank you for the review! All of the zoldycks will meet again, and so will all of their children. This AU would be the children's first encounter in the fic, but of course this is a side chapter. They will have a _real_ meeting in the main chapters to come and that is something to look forward to in part 4 of the fic :D **

**So! Here is the Cinderella AU special! and hope you all enjoy reading it XDDD**

* * *

CAST

Cinderella (of sorts)...Reye Zoldyck

Fairy Godmother (of sorts)...Elodea

Evil Step Sisters (of sorts)...Koh and Claira Zoldyck

Prince Charming (of sorts)...Gen Freecs

* * *

 **Cinderella AU Special**

 _Cinderella never asked for a prince. She asked for a night off and a dress._

 _-_ Kiera Cass

* * *

Hidden in the forest, dark and deep, there laid an estate. So deep within the forest's shadows that even the wolves were too afraid to carry out their hunt, afraid of a creature that was far bigger than they were.

To the entrance of the Zoldyck Estate, home to one of the country's oldest aristocrats and treacherous assassins, was surrounded by a silver gate that stretched endlessly towards the sky. A beast loomed and peered through the crevices of the gate, it growled, and its white breath wisped and curled in the air and its yellow eyes waited for someone to knock and enter. On the prowl. Guarding and waiting.

Sunlight only travels so far. No matter the time of day, the estate was always dark and gloomy. The only light to brighten through the darkness, appeared to come through one of the tallest towers made entirely of stone (and various victims bones as they jutted out unevenly…some of the carpenters died on the job. It was so hard finding competent staff nowadays.)

A spider crawled across the window pane. Crafting a web as delicate as silk and deadly as poison. In the room of the tallest tower, there laid a girl belting out the latest songs and tunes released by her all time favorite boy bands. Her room was laced with the finest of gowns and crowns and dolls. The name of the young girl is Reye, and she is the eldest daughter to Kalluto and Violante Zoldyck.

Suddenly, the biggest pest in her life announced himself through her door. Ugh. It was the second eldest child to Kalluto and Violante Zoldyck. His name is Koh Zoldyck. Reye pretended that she didn't notice his presence. Would not notice his presence. She turned up the sound on her phonograph, which was situated inside an ornate hat box decorated with blue ribbons and fringe.

Koh tapped his hand against the wooden door and _ahem'ed_ more than a few times. Finally, he jumped on top of her bed with a smug look on his face. "Mom and dad left for work and guess who they left in charge?"

"Hm? Zebro the grounds keeper?" Reye mused, sarcastically.

"Nope! Guess again."

Reye knew that she was always left in charge whenever her parents leave the estate together. They never left Zeno in charge, on the account that he prefers to live with his dragon than with his own grandchildren, Milluki was never left in charge, on the account that he never leaves his underground dungeon (Reye wasn't surprised if he looks like Gollum in a few more years), Illumi was never left in charge, on the account that well, he doesn't live here anymore, thank God. He married some rich nobleman from a distant country, a great wizard named Oz, that or he married a court jester. Reye shrugged her shoulders. She didn't really care about who her uncle married, all she cared about was taking over his room after he left the estate. Now, the tower belongs to her and only her. She disposed of his left-over belongings he left behind through the tower balcony, and she watched them sink into the swamp sludge at the very bottom. Ah, how she loves cleaning.

She wished she could do the same to her younger brother. He hadn't even bothered to take off his shoes now that he is jumping up and down on her bed. Suddenly, he whipped out a list, a list that rolled down the bed to the floor and then around Reye's feet. Reye picked up the end of the list with a scrutinizing gaze.

"What is this?" She asked.

"That," Koh accentuated, "is a list of all the chores mother and father want you to complete before they arrive home." He plopped onto his back with a delightful thud, sending the fluffy pillows into a frenzy and then onto the ground.

Reye yanked the list from his hands and read the contents feverishly. "Liar, it says that we are supposed to split the chores between the two of us. Together." Reye already knew her brother didn't have the capacity to read, but this was an outrage if she had to complete all these chores by herself. If it were true.

Koh folded his arms behind his head, nonchalantly. He waved his finger in the air, triumphantly. "I think you are misunderstanding the situation, sister. If I recall my memories correctly, didn't you _borrow_ a necklace from mother to wear to one of your parties, and it was one of her favorite necklaces too. The one with the sapphire stones in the shape of flowers. Beautiful, right? Well, it would be a shame if mother were to find out that someone broke her favorite necklace? Where is it now by the way? Seeing as though you were the last person to wear it while it was still intact."

Reye's face was red like scolding fire. She stepped towards Koh, her voice ablaze. "Are you blackmailing me you little runt?"

Koh rolled his shoulders and couldn't help but not smile devilishly. "It's simply one of the many tools of the family trade, I cannot help that I learned it so masterfully."

Reye scoffed.

Koh swung his legs and lifted himself off her bed. Dropping the list for her unwilling hands to catch. "Thanks Reye! Have fun with all the chores! The worst ones are at the bottom by the way."

"Gee thanks for the helpful advice…"

"You're welcome." Koh slammed the door shut behind him as he left Reye dumfounded and wished she were an only child. One can only dream. Her eyes quickly scanned through the dreadful list of chores, especially noticing the bottom of the list.

 _Set up possum traps in the attic._

 _Dispose of the rotting contents of the possum traps in the attic (do this before setting up new ones) Be mindful to wear a mask._

 _Make sure the contents of the possum traps are truly rotting. (possums are very good at playing dead, and they smell foul living or deceased.)_

 _If a possum starts twitching don't hesitate to whack it thoroughly with a broom. It could just be postmortem muscle spasms._

 _If it is not postmortem muscle spasms then you will need something much bigger, and heavier, than a broom._

Reye's eye twitched as she read through the list. Agitated. She was not at all enthusiastic about these chores. Then she imagined that she substituted the word possum for Koh, she found herself quite eager to get to these tedious chores.

* * *

Days past and Reye was relentless like a mule walking up along the edge of a mountain. She finished one chore after the next. Her fingers began to chaff from washing too many dishes and her knees began to ache from scrubbing too many floors and her hair was a mixture of sweat and cobwebs and dust. She hid it all behind her cap. And her dress was covered with grime and mud and there were still splotches of Mike puke when she tried to give him oral medicine because he ate too many rotten possums (some were more alive than others, though they reek all the same.)

By midafternoon, Reye was famished. When she reached into the pantry, she unfortunately realized, that she neglected to go shopping for food. She slouched down on the tile floor. She could feel her stomach eating away her insides as it growled unpleasantly. This endless madness of chores was not worth one broken necklace.

The kitchen door opened.

And along came a little shadow with a little pair of arms and legs. The little toddler wobbled into the kitchen carrying a cookie in her hand. This little child whose hair glowed like moonlight, was the youngest daughter to Kalluto and Violante Zoldyck. Her name was Claira and she was darling as she was innocently devious as any other two-year-old could possibly be. She smiled at her older sister, waving her cookie at her.

Reye smiled at the cookie.

Reye's arms and legs were limp, from cleaning so much. She hadn't the strength to move. "Claira," Reye rasped, her lips were so dry. "Don't you want to share your cookie with your amazing sister who loves you so, so much?" Reye examined the cookie and found that it was oatmeal. It wasn't her favorite flavor, but her stomach couldn't care less about her pickiness. Her mouth watered at the sight.

It seemed as if Claira got the memo, she smiled and wobbled over to Reye who was lying, defeated, on the ground. Reye opened her mouth as Claira aimed to drop the cookie there.

She dropped it on Reye's eye. And laughed.

"Claira!" Reye hissed at the pain seeping from her eye. She felt oat granules beneath her lashes. She tried using her tongue to reach for her only source of food. It didn't work as the cookie slipped off her eye and onto the ground.

Just as fast, Koh entered the room and picked up the cookie off the floor and ate it himself. He gave a sour face after finishing it. Oatmeal was his least favorite, but his favorite thing was torturing Reye. Besides he already ate a full course meal of plump roast chicken and stewed potatoes and carrots.

"You will regret this," Reye hissed.

Koh crouched down on the tile floor, pouting at his older sister. "Correction. YOU will be the one to regret not asking for my help. I'll get the necklace fixed up like it was never broken in the first place and mother will never know the difference."

"Then fix it! I already finished all these stupid chores without your help."

Koh smiled, sweetly. Radiating feigned gratitude. "Thank you for all your hard work, and of course I'll fix the necklace…eventually."

"Eventually?" Reye gasped. Koh was planning to blackmail her for as long as he could! The little weasel! "You're the one that's going to need to be fixed after when I'm through with you." Reye desperately tried to jump and maul her brother right there, but she could barely manage to lift her pinky finger. Koh happily shook it, like a business man enforcing a shrewd deal.

"It was a pleasure doing business with you Reye. C'mon Claira, let's leave Reye so she can prepare our dessert."

Claira babbled happily.

"Reye, can you make us ice-cream?"

Reye cursed up a storm.

"Great. I'll take mine with a custard filling and fresh strawberries from the gardens."

She decided she was going to switch the berries with nightshade, as soon as she could regain the feeling in her legs and arms. They left Reye alone in the kitchen, growling and moping and partially crying (which she blamed the oatmeal fragments still lodged in her eye.) She wished she could just have one night off to relax and have fun and not scrub a barrel full of Koh's underwear while wearing her gasmask. They live in a huge estate! Why don't they have servants doing all these stupid chores!

Koh shouted from the halls, "because that would defeat the purpose of this Among the Water Weeds Cinderella AU special if you weren't the one doing all these sick, gross, and absurd chores."

"…Thanks for reminding me."

"And the author really wants to stress the point of the unfair system against working and lower-class women during an era when they were heavily oppressed against a male dominated power structure where women have to eat, breathe, and sweat perseverance in order to scrape the bare minimum of survival."

"…Uh-huh. Then why aren't you or Claira subjected to this unfair system?"

"I don't know, maybe the author just doesn't really like you."

Reye groaned.

"I can't help but be a favorite!"

"Yes Koh, thank you! I get the point already!"

"No problem!"

So, after returning back into character, Reye was tired and sick of her endless days doing nothing but chores. She wanted a day off! With the little strength she had, she pulled her body towards the cabinet and pulled out a calling card. It read:

 _Call 1-800-FAIRYGODMOTHER using your local carrier pigeon to fulfill all your princess and wild dreams that can only happen in unrealistic and made up fantasies_

Yup. This was the perfect solution.

Reye scribbled a note using a quill and wrapped it onto the ankle of a grey pigeon. She released her flying feathery freedom through the window and watched as it flapped through the sky. Carrying her will and hope and spirit beneath its wings. "Go!" Reye shouted, "And bring me my freedom and a night off!"

Her freedom and 'night off' was devoured by Mike the guard dog. Reye's hopes and dreams instantly died.

Mike pounced into the air and ate the bird with one gulp. Reye watched in horror as her message for help traveled down Mike's esophagus. She slumped onto the counter, miserable. It was worth the try.

Just as Reye was about to give up and resume making Koh's ice cream (she was going to spit on it then cover it with a cherry) there was a knock coming from the cellar door.

The cellar door.

Reye grabbed the biggest broom she could find and held it tight in her fists. She already took down an entire army of (mostly) dead possums, she could handle whatever was loitering in the wine cellar. She slowly lifted the panel from the floor and a young boy dressed all in silver stood below it.

"Hi!" He said. "Thank you for calling 1-800-FAIRYGODMOTHER. We successfully received your message." He held what was left of it by the tips of his fingers. "And I am more than happy to represent the company and help you-

She wacked him mercilessly with her broom.

"Stop!" He cried! She got him right in the kisser and he keeled over in utter agony. His voice sounded like a high-pitched and broken wind-up toy.

"I called for a fairy godmother! Not a teenage boy! WHO ARE YOU!?" She held up her broom for another swing. The boy held up his arms, terrified.

"FAIRYGODMOTHER is just the company name!" The boy said. He swiped the broom out of her hands before she could do more damage to his delicate region located in his southern necessity. "My name is Elodea and I work under the wish granting branch for antsy teenage girls, such as yourself." He said, with a hint of misery. He was really hoping to get a promotion soon, he couldn't take anymore first encounters that involved desecrating his family jewels.

Reye leaned forward and read his name-tag, confirming who he said he was. She huffed and folded her arms, "well, it was about time you showed up."

Elodea closed the cellar panel and brushed the dust off his silver pants. No one was ever thankful that he showed up, only that he came five minutes late. He was really tempted to turn her into a toad, but then she would file a complaint and he would most likely be demoted to chipmunk advisor all over again…Those furry rodents of the forest were worse than girls. Chipmunks bite him when he tells them to file their acorn-tax returns and teenage girls…we already went over that…

Living in a male dominated power structure did not help fairy kind either. Elodea straightened his back, from which a few cracks could be heard. His last client wished for an endless supply of trampolines, and Elodea conveniently fell off one of them (while testing their bounciness…for business reasons) Anyway, he fell hard.

"So!" He said. "What wish would you like granted? I see your grim conditions at the moment…" He looked around at the kitchen, at all the mold and grime and ugh….there were mice feeding off a tray of biscuits. Elodea pulled out his wand and waved it around the room. His wand glowed like starlight. "I can clean this mess if you want?"

"With that little thing?"

"Size doesn't matter," Elodea said, self-consciously. With a flick of his wrist he waved his wand and voiced an incantation. "Oh, it's best if you close your eyes."

"Huh why-

A bright flash pierced the room, practically blinding Reye.

The kitchen was spotless, the mice were gone, there was no mold, and now Reye was the one withering on the ground in agony.

Elodea spoke, jaded. "y'know I always tell people to close their eyes when I cast a spell. But do they listen? Noooo. Why listen to the fairy boy and his fairy magic and his itty-bitty fairy wand? Oh, he doesn't know anything, they say."

Reye staggered to her feet and slowly her vision returned to normal. Wow. The kitchen was actaully clean. Really clean. She never knew there was a sink under those pile of dirty dishes. Astounding.

"Thank you." Reye said, for once not feigning sincere gratitude.

Elodea fixed his sleeves a bit and mumbled. "You're welcome. It's just part of the job." Then he clapped his hands together, happily. "But I'm not here just to clean! I'm here to make your dearest wish come true!"

"That's amazing!"

"But first we need to discuss payment."

"What? But I thought fairies do charity out of kindness and goodwill towards others."

"Goodwill isn't cheap."

Was it too late to return a fairy? Elodea tapped his wand and it sounded like he was punching buttons on a calculator.

"Would you care for the midnight package? It is our most popular item."

"What does it include?"

Elodea read off a list. "Every miserable maiden of any far-off land deserves a chance of happiness, that's you."

"Yeah, I got it. Keep explaining."

Elodea coughed, resuming from the beginning again. "Every miserable maiden of any far-off land deserves a chance of happiness with the luxurious midnight package full of wild dreams and glamorous delight, I don't write this by the way I'm just told to say it. It's protocol."

"I don't care who wrote it! I just want a night off!"

"Ah, yadda yadda yadda, I already said that. Aha! The midnight package includes a trip to the kingdom's ball where dancing and mingling and music are the main event. A beautiful gown, showstopper shoes, carriage, ticket to the ball, and happiness are all guaranteed from this marvelous package."

"Anything that lets me relax away from this house sounds great."

"Excellent choice my valued customer." That was also protocol he had to say. He tapped his wand and a receipt printed out from one end. Elodea handed it to Reye, and she gasped.

"That is so expensive!"

"Welcome to the real world. Fairies need to make a living too. Now, may I interest you in our dress catalogue?" He swiped a book from his silver vest and it instantly grew, and the pages were illuminated with the most beautiful of dresses. Reye couldn't help but stare. She was truly in heaven. She ended up picking a blue ball gown adorned with crystal butterflies. "And now you need a carriage! Tell me, where do you keep your winter vegetables?"

"Uh, my family actually owns several carriages. They're located in the back yard of the estate."

"Then it's settled! We'll use pumpkins!"

"I can't go to the ball in the pumpkin. It's not practical."

Elodea waved his hand in front of her face. "Practicality is an illusion used to fool the masses. While everyone else is going to the ball in regular, boring carriages. All eyes will be on you when you arrive in a pumpkin."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Take me to your most well-endowed pumpkin!"

Were all fairies this looney in the head?

So, Reye brought Elodea to their most well-endowed pumpkin in the gardens. It was a large winter vegetable with a brilliant orange husk. Elodea tapped the pumpkin's surface and laid his ear against it. Listening.

Reye stepped back. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Shush!" Elodea listened to the pumpkin and in turn the pumpkin listened to him.

Oh god. Reye began to wonder if it was a mistake to leave the broom back in the kitchen. If she hit him on the back of his head now, he wouldn't know what was coming.

"Stand back!" Elodea jumped, and Reye did listen this time. He recited an incantation of ancient and powerful origins, of mystery and awe, crafted of the most sacred and mystic words by legendary kings and queens of mankind's long ago and epic past. "bibbidi bobbidi boo!"

It was a very simple language, and straight to the point.

The pumpkin transformed from it's vegetable state and into a beautiful carriage! The vines curled into gold knobs and handles and the carriage even had marvelous accessories, such as cupholders, heated seats, and an air-conditioning system! It was truly magical.

Now, Elodea had absolutely no idea on how to transmute mice into horses. Instead, he used Mike the Zoldyck Family's guard dog to carry the carriage to the ball. He enchanted him with a destination in mind to travel to, so Mike wouldn't be sidetracked by other distractions, or tasty looking pedestrians.

Finally, it was time to bestow the showstopper shoes!

Elodea waved his wand and Reye's feet began to glow. Replacing her dull, black, and practical slippers, with glass slippers!

Reye gasped. "You want me to split my feet in half?!"

Elodea wiped a hand down his face, exasperated. No one ever thanks him for giving them nice things. AGHHHHH. He internally groaned to himself. "If you wear them, you'll find that they are very comfortable."

Reye steadied her feet and surprisingly found that they were indeed very comfortable.

"Just don't lose them. Or you will have to pay a replacement fee."

"I'll take good care of them. What kind of clumsy person loses a glass slipper in the first place?"

They both laughed. Laughing at the sheer irony of it. Reye entered the golden carriage, basked in the light and beauty of autumn leaves.

"And while you're having fun at the ball, I have all your chores covered." Elodea said.

"Thanks Elodea! You're not as crazy as I thought you were!"

"Aw, you're wel-what?"

Off the carriage went! Taking Reye out on her well-deserved night off to the greatest ball of the century. That was conveniently held on the night she really needed it. Ahem. Elodea held the list of chores in his hands. It was best to conserve the remaining bit of magic he has left, surely, he could finish all these chores within one night.

He laughed as he read down the list.

He continued reading.

He continued.

He read.

He was just mindlessly looking at words now.

His laughter died when he read the eleventh chore. God, what was wrong with this family. It's impossible to finish all these chores by himself, especially all in one night! No wonder Reye wants a night off!

Elodea tapped his wand and heard the line buzz for several seconds. He called an associate since he was going to need all the help he could get.

* * *

Reye left her carriage in the care of the palace guards to park. The palace guards gulped. Staring back at Mike. They weren't even sure what type of animal it was. Only that it had big, meaty hands. What kind of dog has big meaty hands!?

Mike then ate one of the guards, while the other guard heard his night-shift partners last words. _I leave you in possession of all my belongings including my grandmother's most prized bingo table._ The man most likely misheard his partners shrieks of pain, but there was no one else there to tell him the man said otherwise.

Onward to the ball! Where dancing and mingling and music filled the ballroom with endless delight! Reye laughed and danced with the most gorgeous of teenage hunks in the kingdom. She ate the richest stuffed duck roasted in gold (it was literally a rich duck), and she drank bubbling apple cider from a stone well in the castle. She continued to dance and to laugh and to have all the fun she deserved.

Then she saw him.

Her 'fairy godmother' at the buffet table. She scurried to him quickly, grabbed him by the shoulder, and turned him around. He had half a chicken leg sticking out of his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" Reye whispered. "You said that you would finish all of my chores."

"Oh that," Elodea said, putting down his plate filled with delightful treats, and many variations of smoked ham and cheese, on the buffet table. He wiped his hands with a napkin and drank a cup of cider from the castle well. Reye tapped her glass-slipper foot against the marble floor, impatiently. "Those chores are impossible. But! I called an associate of mine who has everything under control."

"Even my siblings?"

"Of course."

* * *

Back at the Zoldyck estate, there laid a tied-up Koh strangled in a sea of a rope. Claira was crying in her crib, while a horde of chipmunks were doing everything but completing the list of chores. Mainly having a rave party and ransacking the place.

Elodea would learn later on that it was an unwise decision to trust the chipmunks, again.

* * *

"Don't worry about a thing," Elodea said. "Your only priority is having fun tonight."

" _Phew_ , I feel so relieved." Reye said, placing a hand over her chest. Just then she saw two tall and gloomy figures dance about the ball room. Her parents. Reye ducked behind a chocolate sculpture of the king, "my parents are here! (how dare they go to a party without me!) I can't let them see me."

Elodea rubbed his hands together, rapidly, as a storm of sparkles emitted from his hands. With one breath he blew the cloud of dust onto Reye's face, she gawked and coughed speckles of stars.

"What did you just blow on my face?"

"It's a magic spell," Elodea said. "It disguises your true appearance and replaces it with someone else's. So, your parents will not be able to recognize you."

"So, who do I look like?"

"Oh, uh, y'know, the appearance varies from person to person including their perception of you, of course. You could really be anyone." His voice squeaked. Squeaking voices never mean anything good.

Suddenly a woman embraced Reye. The noblewoman was dressed in an elegant green ball gown that was adorned with an abundance of peacock feathers. Her nose was crooked just like a bird's beak. "OH MY DARLING ISOBEL!" The woman gushed, embracing Reye in a bear hug. "HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

Reye couldn't breathe on the account of the abundance of peacock feathers taking up residence in her wind pipe.

The woman let go (finally) and held her by the arms, "My darling niece, I wasn't expecting to see you tonight at the ball! Tell me, has your typhoid fever settled down for you to jiggy with the prince?"

Reye narrowed her gaze at Elodea. While he was awkwardly sipping a glass of apple cider from the castle well. Nothing beats castle well cider that's for sure. Elodea sprinted away, going to drink some more.

Throughout the entire night, Reye was confused for being someone's cousin, niece, relative, next door neighbor, deceased next door neighbor, or newly revived from the dead next-door neighbor. At least her parents didn't recognize her when they bumped into each other.

Kalluto muttered to his wife, "Who was that unsightly creature? It seems the royal family invites _anyone_ to the castle nowadays."

Violante hummed, "I thought that well-dressed alpaca looked quite adorable with its bonnet."

Kalluto narrowed his eyes, but then he finally conceded and continued dancing with his beloved wife. Oh, how the royals have fallen from grace.

The trumpets blared through the ball room. Acquiring everyone's attention, even Elodea who was stuffing his face with truffles at the buffet table. The King and Queen stood up on the stage, dazzling and glorious. King Gon and Queen Alluka. Along with prince Gen and the King's Deputy, Killua. The deputy who was in charge of all politics governing the human and magical worlds, was also a powerful sorcerer! He spotted his son in the crowd and winked.

Elodea smiled and meekly waved back.

The audience applauded their benevolent rulers.

Reye stood in the center of the crowd, wondering what it was like to be royalty, and to have five thousand servants do all her chores. And to have dungeons and the authority to imprison anyone disagreeable to her. She sighed, dreamily.

The King spoke, "thank you everyone for attending the ball. I hope you are all having a wonderful time. It was just recently announced to me that we have an announced special guest amongst the crowd. Greer, the duchess of Avalenia, who has been betrothed to my son, prince Gen, since they were born. Ah! There she is in the middle of the dance floor!"

Reye gulped, hopefully they weren't referring to her or the spell cast by Elodea.

"Ah! She's the one wearing the blue dress adorned with crystal butterflies next to the boy in the silver suit! Aha! Tis your son, Killua." King Gon laughed. "Don't be shy duchess Greer."

Who knew there were spotlights installed in the ballroom. Since Reye and Elodea were basked entirely in the blinding light.

"And while we're at it," King Gon declared. "They might as well get married tonight! Two celebrations in one, am I right my faithful deputy?"

"No, I really think you should clearly and thoroughly think before you act sire."

"Then it's decided!" Gon declared. "We will have a wedding ceremony tonight!"

Killua discreetly rolled his eyes.

"But dear," Queen Alluka said. "Where will we ever find a priest in such short notice?"

"Oh, you're right," King Gon exclaimed. "Then I guess we can't have a wedding after all."

Reye sighed, relieved.

"But a priest doesn't necessarily have to be the one to officiate the wedding?" Gon said.

"How right you are sweet-pea! I see the constable of our court in the crowd. He will officiate the wedding ceremony."

Gon blushed. He really likes it when she calls him sweet-pea. "The wedding is on!" The crowd cheered.

Reye turned to Elodea. Her eyes seeped with venom as she shook him by the shoulders. "Undo this stupid enchantment!"

"I can't," Elodea said whilst being shook. "All the magic ends at 12'oclock. Hence it being called the midnight package."

While caught up in the fiery rage of knocking the living daylights out of Elodea, Reye slipped on the marble floor and came crashing down.

Her glass slipper fell off her foot and it broke into uneven shards.

Elodea gasped. "That's company property!"

Reye barked. "It's your company's fault for distributing glass slippers in the first place!"

"Excuse you, they are a timeless classic!" Elodea returned the remark. Some people just aren't cultured.

Immediately, palace guards surrounded the two. One picked up the glass shard and cried. "This is a weapon to assassinate the royal family! TREASON!" The guards pointed their extremely pointy and finely sharpened spears at the two traitors. One who simply wanted to have a night off, and the other who didn't want to be demoted back to chipmunk advisor…It was truly difficult living in a male dominated power structure.

The court guards were on them, Killua the King's deputy was about to spring into action, a little prince may or may not have wet his southern necessities from the sheer panic of the situation. Who was going to save the Reye and Elodea now!?

Suddenly, nine dashing and beautiful gentlemen whose facial features looked as if they were chiseled out of marble stone broke through the windows. The spotlights descended upon them and as they posed in their gorgeous and perfect stage costumes. All coordinated with the others. Reye gasped, her heart throbbing.

There was V, Jungkook, Jimin, Suga, Jin, Rap Monster, and J-Hope! All of her beloved husbands from her favorite K-pop idol band BTS! Hearts pounced from her eyes as all of her seven husbands and biases saved her from the perilous ballroom fiasco. Now they were fighting over who loved Reye the most, and the only way to prove it was to have a 'who has the best chiseled abs' contest and she watched as their abs glistened dreamily with apple cider. Rap Monster was in the lead, not only in the contest, but also in winning Reye's heart-

* * *

An artery burst from Koh's head as Reye continued to read aloud her BTS fanfiction to him. He made her stop when the K pop members' abs started glistening immaculately from the castle well apple cider.

Koh was bedridden with typhoid fever for weeks. Currently, his fever was subsiding, and his parents encouraged Reye to ease his sorrow and pain by reading him a bed time story.

As a matter of fact, Koh enjoyed the solitary time away from everyone and hearing his sister read fanfiction to him only made it much, much worse. A bag of used tissues laid at the side of his bed, he suppressed the urge to chuck it at his sister. But he was still weak, so there wasn't much for him to do besides listening to her read.

Koh spoke, his voice was sore and raspy. "It doesn't make sense why those BTS guys came in unannounced at the end. It was too random for them to fix the whole problem just by strutting their abs."

"It's called deus ex machina and it is a very well-known plot device to solve an irresolvable occurrence in literature."

"You mean self-insert fanfiction."

"Whatever." Reye said as she closed her laptop, debating that Koh wasn't wrong but that a lot of literature started off as fanfiction. Anyway, she ended her bed time story for Koh and tucked him in bed. He might have not accidentally sneezed in her face, sending a wave a disgust right through her.

"Sorry," he suppressed a crooked smile.

"I-It's okay." Reye forced those words out. Her mother secretly promised her if she spent more time with Koh, she can buy more BTS merch. Which Reye had to keep reminding herself of that. Over and over and over again.

"J-Hope was my favorite though."

"He is a sweetie." Reye internally gushed. "Do you want to watch his most adorable moments together on Youtube? Ahhh! He is so cute!"

"Maybe later, but only if you promise to play Overwatch with me."

"Deal."

"But I get to play Wrecking Ball."

"Whose Wrecking Ball?"

"A badass hamster with attitude."

Reye laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"I never heard you say badass before."

"Well, I'll have you know that I say it all the time." He folded his arms.

"Really?" She laughed harder.

"There's a lot you don't know about badass me."

"Oh, I almost forgot. I was able to find more information about Illumi's secret."

Koh shot up from his bed, "WHAT!? Why didn't you tell me before reading 2 full length hours of your fanfic to me!?"

Reye shuffled in her seat and shrugged her shoulders. She just wanted to share her story with someone. And in her defense, it was a long multi-chapter fic and readers have been slacking.

Koh sighed. "Okay, I may not know who these idols are, but I," Koh forced out the words, "I enjoyed your story. It was pretty decent…and I really thought the joke about the possums was funny."

Reye couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. She could seriously come to love her brother. The thought surprised her! She scooted over to his bed and opened her laptop, unveiling all the clues and evidence she discovered about the mysterious butler named Oswald Temple, Oz for short. Together, they were intent on solving this cold case from the past.

Spending time with her brother wasn't such a bad thing after all. Reye smiled, happily. It was actually…fun. (Three weeks later, Reye contracts typhoid fever from Koh, but we wouldn't want that tidbit to kill this wonderful sibling bonding moment between the two of them.)

Twas a happily ever after.

For now ;D

* * *

 **Congratulations! You all just read Reye Zoldyck fanfiction :DDDD  
hahaha this was fun to write and I hope you all had fun reading it XD Please leave a review and let me know or say hi or happy birthday :3 AND I hope y'all are looking forward to October 31st :3333 **

**See you then! BYE!**


	44. Chapter 39: Set Sail x For x Home

**A/N:**

I guess I should make a proper A/N? Why not XD SO! I previously said that this chapter was going to be updated sooner, buuut I was busy with school aaaaaand I was not satisfied with it lol but it's here now, so there's that, yay :D

Above all else, I want to thank my dear friend Yui (whose birthday was yesterday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY DOLL! *hearts*) I kind of think that y'all know her fic, **Poisoned Amaryllis** , and read it, and obviously love it so smithereens like I do (yui, you made me the luckiest girl in the world by giving me so many hot husbands...book boyfriends, ded bois, pizza hubbie (with dat abs :DDD), hot detectives, even the god of darkness, plus I'm the chairlady of Malzi's fan club XDDD YOU GIVE ME SO MCUH JOY YOU BLESSED ANGEL ;A;) but if you don't...what are you doing? GIVE HER SOME LOVE PLEASE! (and wish her a happy birthday bc she's super sweet and super adorable like a puppy and i love her, so pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease ;3

Thanks you to those you recently followed the story! Thanks for being awesome :3 Oh! For those you don't know/are new, my blog **amongthewaterweeds** has a bunch of stuff there! Like art of new OCs and snippets of scenes of future chapters (such as the 'peach scene' *eyes emoji* thank you yui for lifting me up, you deserve a dozen peaches with many ****** abs *eyes emoji*)

For the last scene with the (*) there is instrumental music that goes with it! It's "Beauty and the Beast Official Trailer Music | Really Slow Motion - Reborn | Epic Trailer | EMVN" tbh i don't know the actual song title, but this is the title of the video. This song is what i imagine playing in the end credits LOL Without further wait, enjoy this VERY long chapter that ends all of part 3 of the fic. I hope y'all like it ;3

* * *

 **Chapter 39: Set Sail x For x Home **

There was something about mornings that made Illumi feel sick. Was it the devastatingly large amount of blinding light breaking through dawn that signified new beginnings and false hope? He shook his head, that wasn't it. Was it the wrenching sound of people crooning yawns and mumbles as they began to wake up and start their day? He titled his head and thought maybe so. Or maybe it was just people…in general. That he did nod to.

Illumi could hear the wind howl throughout the misty planes and slopes of Kukuroo Mountain. It cried in the dark corners of the forest's shadows. It yowled through the crevices of the stone walls that trapped the living who breathed the same air as the dead.

The walls trapped many things inside its gray stones. When Illumi was little, a time when it was acceptable for him to play pretend, he'd play a solitary game. Although, all his games he played at the time were solitary ones. It goes without saying that he didn't have many friends. Or any at all. But there was one. Whose company took away his loneliness—only for a time. In the peak of summer when the cicadas sung the loudest or the peak of winter when the air turned to frost and coiled around his breath, he'd go up to the walls, still inside the gate, and feel the lines and marks and ragged texture of the cut stone beneath his fingertips. He'd close his eyes and only feel the cold seep through his skin and walk along the edge where the grass met stone, where the wall separated the outside from the inside worlds, and when he closed his eyes, he pretended there were monsters on the other side and that's why he was kept here. For his own good.

 _It's worse on the other side. The gate is meant to keep all the bad out. There are monsters outside! It is meant to keep the monsters from coming in and hurting my family and I._ That was what he said and pretended was true. And in his game of pretend he thought it to be very real.

He pretended he was tucked inside these walls for his own safety, away from all the monsters that lurked behind them. That is the reason the gate towered so high above the clouds, so none may climb above it. There were no monsters tall enough to jump over it. That is the reason the gate was thick as the base of a mountain, so none may knock it down. There were no monsters strong enough to break through it. That is the reason stone dragons roamed above the gate, so none would feel brave enough to step near it. There were no monsters brave enough to battle against the dragons. That is the reason only the noble and strong and honorable could pass through it. And he thought himself to be brave, approaching the wall and walking along it, that it was the only thing that separated him between the monsters outside the gate. He thought himself to be brave knowing if he could conquer the monsters inside the gate, in his own home, he could easily conquer the ones outside of it. That everything he endured on the inside was to prepare him, a warrior in training, for the great battle on the outside.

There was solace in his little game of pretend—for a time.

And then he grew up.

And saw how childish and immature his game of pretend was to the reality of the real world from the one in his head, which was one finely crafted illusion.

These walls were built before he was born. They were built before his father was born. And they were built before his grandfather and great-grandfather and even his great-great-grandfather (who, to everyone and including Illumi's misfortune, still happened to be alive) were born. To him, this gate—this wall—seemed to have existed for all time. Pristine. Triumphant. Unadulterated.

Until now.

The sun dared to creep up the wall and shine its rays of pure golden light above it. Illumi scowled and squinted his eyes against this beautiful morning light—truly horrible—to see all the filth that desecrated the gate.

He called the butlers to clean up the mess, with ladders and buckets and sponges in hand. Illicit graffiti, in unintelligible scratches and lines and curves, desecrated the inside of the testing gate. He scoffed at the words painted on the gray stones:

ɣᴏᴜᴙ ᴆᴇᴃᴛ ᴡᴉᴌᴌ ᴃᴇ ᴘᴀᴉᴆ

Illumi heard an excruciatingly irksome whine come from behind his back. Ah, his younger brother finally had the decency to get his ass out from his cavern and into the morning light. Finally, Milluki emerged from his seclusion. About an hour after Illumi called for him.

Milluki yawned and stopped in his tracks before he made it a few feet away from his older brother. And stared off into the distance, somewhere at a plant. His eyes increasingly fluttered shut, trying to keep himself awake.

Illumi said bitterly. "Oh no, please, take your time. I have all day."

"Hey, Illumi." Milluki, oblivious to the tone in his brother's voice and his brother's words, scratched his stomach, lazily. "This is what you woke me up for?"

"If you have gone to sleep at a sensible time then you would have found it that much easier to get out here when I called you an _hour_ ago."

"Hell, only an hour, I could have slept in longer."

 _I want to strangle you._ "I appreciate your attitude. Now, look at the gate."

"Yeah, what about it?"

Illumi narrowed his eyes, "You have two eyes. Use them."

It took more than a second for Milluki to stare at the wall and process exactly what was in front of him. It should have taken him less than that to notice the problem. The younger of the two squinted profusely. The older of the two rolled his eyes.

"You need glasses or are that dense." That wasn't so much of a question.

Milluki spoke, "There's graffiti on the wall."

 _Great, you can read_. Was what Illumi wanted to say, but he made a resolution to himself not to be so condescending of others, out loud, just to clarify. On the inside he could be as judgmental as he wanted. There was a lot of freedom in that last bit. "The perpetrators came in overnight and left before morning. Zebro was on night duty the whole time and reported that he did not see anyone enter or exist through the testing gate."

"If Zebro's claims are true and he isn't senile, how can it be someone from the outside? The graffiti is on the inside, so it had to be from someone on the inside. You think it was Koh?" Milluki scoffed. "That damn squirt. It had to be him! I bet those are even his paints. He's the type to have the gall to do something this stupid. He probably did this in retaliation because I didn't pay him back yet." Milluki convicted his nephew a little too eagerly. Not that he was going to pay his nephew back, Milluki was in a lot of debt on his own, mainly to Koh. Borrowing was his strong quit. Repaying was not. Stalling was a gift of his, especially whilst avoiding his lenders, and Koh. "I should teach him a lesson for this stunt."

Illumi sighed. This was most likely the reason his parents had high hopes for him to become heir when he was younger. Mainly because Milluki proved to a poor spare, and an idiot brother. If Milluki was the heir he'd probably gamble the whole family business away. And then Killua came along and solved the problem entirely, Mother and Father were exceptionally happy and even more relieved that the business wouldn't be driven into the ground—until the day Killua left. Then they started panicking again. Father in his own stoic, silent way, and Mother in her shrieking cries kind of way. Illumi never heard the end of it from either of them. It was this early in the morning and Illumi was already having a horrible migraine. "Sort out your online gambling issues on your own and don't drag Koh into it. He needs to save up his own money for his future instead of using it to bail you out of yours."

Milluki scoffed. "Whatever."

"It's one thing to be a hindrance to someone, but entirely another to be a cripple."

"Alright, I get it! I'll pay Koh back when I have the time."

Illumi stared at him.

"Soon. I mean."

"Good." Illumi was also going to say that Milluki should act more like a positive role model for Koh to look up to. But, alas, he cannot tell a lie. Fed up with the conversation, like many things, he turned his head into the woods and fixated his gaze there for some time. Something lingered in the woods and followed his gaze and spoke to him through his eyes. A silhouette of a crow lingered in his gaze. Illumi snorted to himself.

"What's so funny?" Milluki asked as he peered into the same spot in the woods Illumi was staring blankly at. He saw nothing.

Illumi cleared his throat. "Nothing and if you paid closer attention." He narrowed his eyes. "That penmanship isn't Koh's. He is a master in forgery in many ways, but his style is more freeform and not as abrasive as _this_ mess _._ Also, he was the one who first reported about the wall to me this morning while walking his hounds. You could at least take the time to know that about your only nephew."

Milluki rolled out his shoulders. He didn't have time for any of that. "That brat could have been lying to you to cover up his trail and make it look like someone else did it."

"Lying? To you, possibly all the time." He smiled a crooked grin. "To me, never."

 _Cocky bastard_ , _Koh only likes you because you bribe him with expensive gifts._ Milluki scoffed and then his eyes gleamed, wickedly. In a quick moment, in which the most types of regrettable mistakes are made, Milluki decided to chide his pompous and all-wise older brother. "Koh isn't my only nephew. I could have sworn there is another one. Ellu—Elo—his name doesn't matter. You know the one. You should have just asked me to finish the job, one explosion is all it takes to kill the brat, but you're taking so long to do it. How is that going by the way? Mother and Father can't even bear to look at you because of all your failed attempts to bring Kil home—

The handle of Illumi's cane, in the shape of a crow, was only a centimeter away from puncturing a hole, a rather large and fatal one, in Milluki's forehead. Every inch of Milluki shook and quivered from the fast motion that was silent as the threat of a viper ready to pounce. The silver crow glimmered under the sunlight and its eyes were embedded with scarlet stones that cast a menacing gaze back to the fool who dared to stare into them.

Milluki gulped.

Illumi smiled. He moved the handle to brush a strand of hair out of Milluki's face. "I'm sorry to cut you off, but that lose strand was annoying me. You were saying?"

"Nothing." His voice quivered.

"Very well, but if you find need to spew topics that are unrelated to the urgent matter at hand. I'd recommend that you keep them to yourself." Illumi smiled. "Okay?" Hopefully that will shut his brother up.

Milluki nodded, shaking.

"Good." It did the trick. Perfectly. Now, Illumi retracted his gaze from the fool and towards the gate. Towards the wall and the threat painted on it.

"Y-You think it was a tourist or some crazed fan pulling a prank?"

Illumi's eyes scanned the words again and again in his mind. _Your debt will be paid_. He remembered the same words were spoken to him all those years ago. He remembered the man to cast those words with steel and iron and blood in his heart. He remembered that day very clearly and everything it cost him.

So _, they_ were coming back.

"Illumi."

Illumi hummed. "Don't spare yourself thinking too hard over the culprit. I already know who it is." He turned his head. "Gotoh." The head butler appeared, "Milluki will set up a surveillance system—

"I'm doing what now?" Milluki whined at the mention of a ton of work he will have to do. He was already tired thinking about it.

Illumi ignored him and continued. "I want you to give me a full list of all the butlers, so I may put together groups of those best fit to survey the walls during the morning, midday and night. I'll leave the schedule and rotations up to you. The perpetrators aren't coming through the testing gate, they could have formed a breach in some other segment of the wall while avoiding Mike, somehow. I'm interested in how they did it. Survey every acre for a breach in the wall or signs of scaling. The west region was already in desperate need of repairs, they could have come in through there."

"You mean, you don't know how they came through?" Milluki glared. "Mike should have eaten them up if they were that close."

"Milluki," ice seeped past Illumi's eyes. "Your order was already given, so why are you still standing there grouching?" the ferrule of his cane stung the ground. "Go do it."

The scarlet eyes of the crow looked into Milluki and he felt them stare into his soul, right down to the bone. He shuffled away when Illumi finished speaking.

When Milluki was gone, Gotoh was still there stuck in his bow. "Is that all, sir?"

Illumi fixated his gaze on the head butler and stood there silently for several moments. Unblinking.

Quiet sung through the silent spring morning.

At first Gotoh thought his voice wasn't heard, oddly for the lack of noise, so he spoke again. "Shall I make the list, sir?"

Illumi rapped his cane against the ground, "You're very good. I truly applaud you."

Gotoh looked up from his bow and quirked his eyebrow just a bit. Confused.

"Allow me to clarify. You're very good at pretending to be someone you're not. You fooled my family for all these years, and me for some time. Albeit not a lot. With your excellent acting, you will continue to fool them to the very end."

Nervousness trickled down the head butler's spine. Sweat began to moist his brow. "Pardon me, sir. But whatever do you mean?"

The look on Illumi's face was calm, an expression that the imposter didn't think him capable of when he found out the truth. The man spoke in a low voice, and the imposter must have thought himself to be insane since he imagined the man with the cane to speak with a tone that contained something reminiscent to joy. The imposter was fearful of what would come next. In short, he was terrified.

"Please, don't look so surprised. If you are afraid of a punishment of sorts, there won't be one." Illumi said, smiling a crooked grin. "Consider yourself lucky, I'm happy with the way things turned out. For a long time, I wanted to kill Gotoh myself, but when he was Mother and Father's favorite among all the butlers and after everything that happened," he sighed, exhausted. "It left me with a vast number of limitations to act freely and to stomach his presence whenever I saw him. In short, I am overjoyed that he is dead."

The kiriko didn't expect this. He thought he would he dead when his true identity was figured out. He should be dead, but instead he was being _thanked._ He straightened his back and reverted to his true form. Monstrous to some, devastatingly powerful to others. Neither to Illumi. "How did you find out?"

The smile faded from Illumi's face. It was replaced with a stern look. Scornful. Hateful. Vengeful. "You revealed yourself to me when you did not know all that Gotoh knew. It was in the beginning after the 13th chairman election, I had doubts that Hisoka truly killed him after seeing you, this _putrid_ mimic, of him walking around the manor still breathing. Still living. But I knew he was dead with upmost certainty from the first moment you looked me into the eyes as if you never sinned against me. Gotoh looked at me with guilt embedded in his eyes while you looked with innocence and obliviousness to the sins of his past. That is when I knew that Gotoh was truly dead."

"Impersonating Gotoh after his death was solely for Killua's sake."

Illumi held up his hand. "Yes, I figured as much despite it being beneficial on my behalf, which was obviously a side effect to your true intention. But when Kil comes back you can tell him that yourself."

"And what makes you say he will come back?"

"Because believe it or not." Illumi turned to the wall and threat on it. _Your debt will be paid_. "This involves all of the Zoldycks. Those within the gate and outside of it."

The kiriko gripped his claws, hesitantly.

"You can relax. I encourage you to keep continuing this façade as long as you are able to. Your place here as a pawn has value, for now."

This caught the kiriko off guard. He expected to be dead this very moment. What did Illumi know that he didn't?

Illumi moved.

The kiriko shuddered.

"Regardless of your real identity, you still work for the family. I expect the complete list of butlers in my hands by the end of the day."

The kiriko relaxed.

Illumi walked towards the inner walls of the gate. He felt like going for a walk.

The kiriko spoke, his voice intertwined among the howling wind. "This sin you speak of…what sin did Gotoh commit to merit your hatred of him? Enough to deserve death?"

Illumi was already standing next to the gate, where grass met stone. His hand trailed along the cold surface of the gray stone wall. He turned his head slightly to a limping branch protruding from the shadowy woods. It was black and sickly looking. The black branch stuck out from the woods as a skeleton would from its own grave.

And there on top of the ghastly branch, sat a devastating crow that glowed a horrid aura, the color of blood. It crowed a putrid sound that matched its appearance. One that the kiriko could neither see or hear. One that plagued Illumi for all his days. Him and only him.

The kiriko wondered what Illumi was staring at in the woods, as silence was his only answer from the man.

Illumi stopped in the shade of the gate. He gripped the handle of his cane, bitterly. He took in a breath and released it. Holding in his rage. The red crow cocked its head towards Illumi. "On that day," he said, watching the crow eye his every move, studying his every gesture like it has done for days and months and years before. His voice was that of a whisper, perforated by the intense howl of the wind. The gust of wind swept up his hair, waving rapidly like a pit of vehement black snakes. His rage came like a tsunami. "That _wretch_ betrayed me that day. Be wise not to do the same."

He took a step further and away from the kiriko, leaving the butler to his own accord. Walking along the edge of the gate where grass met stone. The blood red crow soon spread its vast wings and jumped from the branch from where it sat and followed Illumi. From branch to stone to air. It followed Illumi. Like it has done for days and months and years before, whenever it pleased itself to make its presence known to him.

Illumi's hand trailed along the inner portion of the gate. He felt the cold stone beneath his fingers. Nostalgia of the past swept through his mind as he remembered the solitary game he used to play when he was a child. His callused fingers traveled over the stones. Over the bumps and grooves and edges.

How did that game go again?

He slowly remembered how it went. He pretended there were hideous monsters outside the gate. Monsters that couldn't jump over, break through or dare come past the gate. He pretended he was safe inside the gate. This home of his. This cage.

It trapped Killua once.

But not anymore.

He walked further along the trail he'd spent his summer days aimlessly wandering. The crow spread its wings and flew over his head. Spiraling above him, then landing on his shoulder. It crooned, deviously. Its aura grew and began to spread.

Morphing into a silhouette that resembled a young man. Who once lived and breathed within this gate.

A silhouette, much bigger than a crow, appeared in the shadowy woods. Hiding behind decayed and broken branches. Listening. Waiting. Watching.

"You have nothing better to do than to follow me around." Illumi sighed, exhaustingly. Illumi continued to walk alongside the wall, but the silhouette shirked back into the woods. Looking back and forth between the woods and Illumi. Illumi looked into its eyes—and couldn't resist. "You want to go _there_ today?"

The silhouette answered only with its backing into the woods, further and further away from the gate.

Illumi pulled his hand back from the wall and walked into the woods without a second thought. It wants him to follow _it_ today. Pulling him deeper and deeper into the woods, far away from the gate. Away from the possibility of leaving _its_ side.

"Slow down." Illumi called to the hazy silhouette, almost tripping on uplifted roots and rocks.

 _It_ didn't.

This gate and all within it held too many memories for Illumi to forget. This is his home, after all. Where the living and the dead exist side by side. A home like that of an open casket. Where the living stare at the dead, and the dead stare back with wide eyes. And grip the living by their throats. Keeping them chained where they stood.

This coffin. This home. It trapped Illumi once.

Illumi walked further into the misty woods. Disappearing amongst the dark understory.

It still does.

* * *

The honey bees buzzed through the air, flying and being carried by the wind.

Kostas's family likes to do one of many things. They enjoy going to the beach, taking hikes through the mountains, and scavenging through an abundance of grocery store catalogues for coupons (something Elodea knew quite well thanks to Killua). Kostas's mother and father were diligent workers but procrastinated like the majority of busy-body adults. Beekeeping was a marvelous way to procrastinate and stall working responsibilities.

For example, _didn't so and so call from the office? Don't they need that claim form as soon as possible?_ Kostas's father would stand up from his desk and walk towards the backyard their apartment owns, immediately wondering how his bees are doing.

The family owned one beehive filled with one giant bee family. After calming the bees, Kostas eagerly taught Elodea the ways of the bees. Showing him the frames and queen's combs that housed and nurtured the queen candidates. The bees of that hive collected pollen from the clover plants scattered around the apartments. Clover honey is a bright amber that is lightly sweet, and is delicious on toast, pancakes, peaches, or by itself.

Kostas packed a jar of honey that was prepared weeks ago and gave it to Elodea, as a parting gift. A token from the Islands. In return, Elodea gave Kostas a box of Chocorobots he brought with him from diamond city. By now the chocolate malt balls melted and reshaped into that of a lopsided chocolate bar inside of the plastic packaging. At least the toy robot (which was a limited edition rose gold robot) from the box was intact and not smothered in gooey chocolate. Kostas's eyes widened as he tasted the treat.

Nothing beats mainstream, industrial chocolate, Kostas thought. Then he did the unthinkable (by most people) and drizzled clover honey on the chocolate. Elodea and Kostas sat on the front porch steps of the apartment complex and savored their old world vs. new world treats that collided with divine flavor.

They had the shuffle off the porch when workers had to carry a sofa up the steps. Apparently, a new tenant was moving in, and the old tenant was moving out. Probably because of the bees.

"How do you feel about bees?" Kostas asked his new neighbor.

The new neighbor gave a sour looking face and distastefully said, "They're better off in someone's else yard than in my own."

Elodea and Kostas silently looked at the other. A new language found and understood just by the two of them. They both gave crooked smiles, pretending to savor the last bits of their honey coated chocolate. They decided that they will not be the first ones to break the news to their neighbor.

Suddenly, they heard a buzz followed by a very womanly shriek made by nonother than the man they just spoke to.

Ah, their new neighbor found out already. The news was delivered by none other than the queen bee herself. Bees are notorious for being gentle creatures, stingers and all. They leave you alone if you leave them alone. Though it was always handy to have a beehive smoker and box of lavender to quell the bees if they ever get a little too feisty. And a bee suit with a veil and hood. It was best to dress like an astronaut when tending to the bees. Just in case.

Kostas went up the steps to tell his new neighbor about all these important necessities. And a brown paper bag for the man to ventilate in.

Elodea brushed off the dirt and sat back down on the steps. A black cat came up to him and sauntered around his ankle. It meowed pleasantly and looked at Elodea with its big, green eyes. It looked at his hands and the empty wrappers.

Elodea held out his hands. He didn't have any more snacks with him.

The cat sauntered away following the rejection Elodea bestowed upon it. It rebounded at another door and meowed and purred just as sweetly as it did with the boy. A mother and daughter were easily enthralled by the adorable creature and tossed it shrimp to eat.

The cat new the right people to talk to. It grabbed the remaining amount of shrimp it could with its mouth and scampered towards the side of the building, disappearing into the brushwood along with another group of cats with pieces and bits of discarded food in their mouths. They will be having a feast tonight.

Elodea sighed. He remembered family dinners with Uncle Gon, Aunt Alluka, and Gen. One time, Gon baked garlic bread sticks (that tasted more like sticks than actual bread) and Gen thought it would be funny to stick them up his nose and pretend to be a walrus. This didn't help Elodea when he snorted up his milk through his nose and was laughing nonstop. Killua didn't help either by pretending to be a walrus himself. He distinctly remembered the moment when Kurapika walked in on _that_ sight when Killua offered him two bread sticks, he walked back out because of it. By this point Elodea thought he punctured his spleen. Elodea laughed quietly to himself. He missed all of that. And his dad.

The sun rose high in the sky and the light shimmered off the morning dew of the plants, off the droplets of water that clung to the leaves and flowers and moss. He took in all of it and felt at ease with himself, more than he has ever been in a while.

A melody of clandestine whispers of nature wisped through the breeze, tangling through the open streets and walkways, past young and old alike. Elodea closed his eyes and listened. He forgot recently. The way aura resonates through the flowers and humming birds and even that very snobbish cat with the shrimp in its mouth. All these little things. The birds, the bugs, the animals, and plants. All these little things that life depends on. There was beauty in all of it. He continued listening to all of it.

He forgot how he loved listening to the songs of people's hearts. He leaned his head against the painted white railing and just listened to the goodness of the world.

A smile appeared on his lips, faintly. The sound of the country—kukan'yu—was nice, if only others can hear what he can. If only…

His eyes shot open.

And he rose from the painted white porch. Fragments of chipped paint clinging to his shorts.

He walked down the paved streets.

His steps became faster as he moved through town. Past the buyers and sellers and townsfolk. Salty air clung to his skin as he broke into a brisk run towards the harbor.

He was mindful of the fisherman carrying in their hordes from the sea. He jumped over a pile of king crabs, with pincers blazing open towards the sky. He ducked beneath a chest of chilled bass. Some still fervently flopping their tails and fins. He swirled past a woman carrying a bucket of clams, opening and closing their shells.

Elodea huffed. Looking around the massive crowd filling the dock.

Then, he heard it.

He heard _him._

He looked beyond the part of the dock, the one unloading mounds of octopus and squid and other tiny fish with very, very pointy teeth. Elodea saw a glimpse of white fluffy hair through a hole in the crowd. He saw a very smug smile his mind could never forget through another. He moved his way through the crowd as best as he could.

Elodea jumped into Killua's open arms.

More than anything, Elodea could never forget the sound of his father's heart. In his opinion it was one of the best good things about the world. Honestly, it was one of his favorite things.

The last thing Killua expected was a hug. It was unexpected, but the good kind. The fear in his heart melted like ice on a sweltering summer day as he held his son tight in his arms. His heart never forgot this feeling and became engraved in his heart. A moment he will remember, embracing his son on the Island's docks under the brilliance of the summer sun. And he welcomed it again as if it was water that quenched his barren heart, wholly. "Do me a favor and let me surprise you for once."

Elodea burrowed his face into his dad's shoulder. His feet were far from the ground as he dangled there. He looked his dad in the face and stuck out his tongue. "And boost your ego? Not a chance."

There was a laugh.

And then a cry.

Which Elodea burrowed his face away from Killua's and hid amongst their hug. "I missed you."

Killua's heart swelled. "I know. So have I."

It was so long, since he felt this happy.

He wanted to live in this moment and make it last forever. The present always had a way of making these moments feel like gifts. The special kind that are savored and treasured and remembered for all time. This was one of those moments. A gift. All of it.

* * *

The west side of the beach was empty, except for the few straggling seagulls that loitered around Killua and Elodea. Technically, you aren't supposed to feed the seagulls snacks like chips or bread or anything that originated out of a vending machine. But no one ever said anything about digging up shallow holes in the sand and cracking mussel shells and tossing them in the air for the seagulls to catch in their beaks. PETA couldn't object to that. The seagulls certainly didn't.

Nowhere on the _do not feed the seagulls_ sign does it say that anywhere. There is purposely a loophole, Elodea thought. The seagulls ate the orange meat out of the shells. Soon, the tide brought in washed up horse shoe crabs and the seagulls happily switched to their next main course.

Caws slowly dwindled as the sound of the ocean's waves swept unto the shore. Elodea scooted back before his shorts could get wet. His toes became lost in the sea form and then in the pebbles and sand.

Killua laid down on the bed of sand and closed his eyes. "Now I can understand why you didn't call me that much being here in _paradise_." He accentuated. "I thought I sent you here to get to know your roots, not to an island getaway vacation."

Elodea plopped down beside Killua and began stacking small rocks of blue and black along his stomach. Arranging them into a lopsided pyramid that eventually collapsed under Killua's breathing. Elodea pouted. He began rebuilding the pyramid. "And you would have stayed in the hotel a few steps away from the ocean and drink pina coladas all day."

"I don't think I would drink pina coladas _all day_."

"I'm sorry. _Most_ of the day, I mean."

"Is that all you think I do? Just eat?"

"And nap."

Killua didn't object to that.

"Granted, I would be drinking those pina coladas with you."

"That's my boy, acting like a pro. You first shame me, then join me."

Elodea pointed a finger gun at him. Which ended up him calling upon an unwarranted game of rock paper scissors. "Rock-paper-scissors!" One after the another they headbutted each other with a draw. The precision. The trajectory. The flawlessness of their speed. Father and son were evenly matched. But it only took Killua a nanosecond to analyze the curvature of Elodea's thumb to foresee that he would in fact play rock, and therefore Killua could counter back his attack with paper, ending the draw, thus winning the battle. The seconds were counting down, and he could see Elodea's hand move into the precise position he wanted. Killua snickered, he was a master at this game just as he mastered the game of darts when he was only six years old. A genius. A protégé. He played paper and already counted his victory as he waited for Elodea to play exactly what he expected him to play, ro—wait, is that a hand sign?

"Fire-style jutsu!" Elodea countered Killua's paper attack and (theoretically) burned his paper attack (and ego) into a crisp by drawing the only hand sign he could remember from season 1 of Naruto while watching episodes with Kostas in his bedroom past midnight. The fire summoning jutsu, a secret technique originated from the Uchiha Clan. Elodea learned the true meaning of _nakama_ from that show. And that Rock Lee, aka bushy brows, was the most underrated character in the anime who honestly deserved more love than what he originally got. Like most people. "Fire beats paper, I win!"

Killua sat there, stunned. He didn't know what to make of this. What was this feeling? It was—losing? This was a rare feeling for Killua and very much one that did not suit him. "I'm confused. And I want a rematch."

"No can do. I won far and square." Elodea deadpanned, then he whipped out the fire style hand sign again and amazed Killua. "This is a legendary technique that has been handed down countless generations in the infamous Uchiha Clan of the hidden leaf village. A technique that has won them countless wars to protect their clan secrets against the anbu black ops dispatched by their village leader, the hokage."

Killua didn't understand half of what Elodea just said, but Elodea said it like it was a good thing so that's how Killua took it. "And you used this legendary technique in a game of rock-paper-scissors."

"It's a small-scale war."

"This is from an anime?"

"Dad, it's _Naruto_."

Killua blinked. It didn't ring a bell.

"It's about ninjas." Elodea tried to explain in the simplest of terms.

Killua nodded, but he still didn't get it.

Elodea clapped his hands together, excitedly. "Okay. Basically, there is a kid, his name is Naruto, and nobody likes him because he is the village idiot—

"Story of my life."

Elodea snorted. "But he has a dream of becoming the hokage, the village leader, so people will finally respect him. Oh, and he has a fox demon sealed inside of him. Kind of a bummer, but it's really cool."

Killua gave a contorted looking face. "How—how does that work?"

"I have yet to watch that part with Kostas. But dad, you have heard of anime, right?"

Killua nodded. He knew anime existed, and he's heard of names thrown around like dragon ball and…he drew a blank. He only knew about dragon ball. God, he was getting old.

Elodea counted on his fingers. "There's Naurto, Gintama, Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball (Killua perked up when Elodea said that, being the only name he actaully recognized) and HunterxHunter."

"HunterxHunter?" Killua raised an eyebrow. "Sounds interesting. What's it about?"

Elodea hummed. "I haven't checked it out yet, but I think it's about some kid who goes on a journey to search for his dad and meets lifelong friends along the way, or something."

"Sounds promising."

"I guess." Elodea shrugged. So far, he was mainly interested in shows that had ninjas and demons and shurikans and mangas that weren't on perpetual hiatuses.

Killua laughed. "Well, it seems you've had the time of your life here. I'm happy that you feel refreshed." He sighed, laying down on the sand bed. "Hmm. Why don't you go back home without me and leave me here on the beach? I can get used to this."

Elodea laughed. "Dad. Did you see those seagulls? They. Are. Ruthless. I leave you here for one night, who knows what those things would do to you by morning."

Killua glanced towards a flock of seagulls and narrowed his gaze to one that locked onto his own. It's beady, unblinking round eyes pierced through his soul. Killua feigned a shiver, "Look away. Just ignore them."

The breeze wisped through the air. Sweeping through their hair.

"Tell me more," Killua said. "Tell me everything of the first moment you saw the Islands to the moment you first step foot on its shores and all the adventures that followed after."

Elodea's heart clenched. Memories flooded his mind quickly. There was meeting Yanny and Elena, going crab hunting for the first time with new friends, sleeping over in the secret club house which used to be Madrid's home before the uprisings, the market trip with Kostas, fighting a chimera ant in a battle to the death, ANIME, meeting Petro and Cia and Zooey, and the dance with his almost-first kiss. Elodea gulped down nervousness. "Are you sure you want to hear everything? Somethings are kind of…um boring?" (and very bloody)

"Tell me everything, even about the anime."

They were laughing by the time Elodea talked about Alligator, _King of the Gluttons._ The name probably did suit the ant anyway. Not that it was flattering. Killua then told Elodea of his days fighting in the Chimera ant war. It was a first for Elodea, ever hearing of this story from his dad. He was learning a new piece of his father's heart that was kept locked away for years. Alligator didn't sound as terrifying as Pitou, Youpi, or Pouf, the king's royal guards. (But pouf? Really? How is anyone scared of a butterfly named pouf?)

"The thing about revenge," Elodea said, quietly. "It isn't supposed to ease pain. It's only meant to balance the scales, but even then—it doesn't feel right. I killed a living and thinking thing, no matter how monstrous it was or how better the world would be without it. I was so angry with what it did to you and that's all I thought about. I wasn't you. I couldn't be a hero like you. I didn't think about the people around me, their safety, or what would have happened if I didn't do anything. I just wanted revenge. That's as selfish as it gets. I'm sorry if you're disappointed in me…"

Killua knew that his son has a good heart, but war isn't meant for people with good hearts. "A part of me is glad that you were able to hold your own, to congratulate you, but the other part of me knows that you should have never been put in that situation in the first place. For that, I failed you." Killua felt a pang of regret in his heart. He should have been here, for Elodea, protecting him. But instead he was in the comfort of his own home recuperating from his injuries from the same chimera from the war. Granted, it took him a week to learn to walk without a crutch and he doubted would have been able to go toe to toe with anyone, let alone a killer alligator.

"Dad, no." Elodea said, reaching out to Killua. "The only reason I survived was because of everything you've taught me. I would be dead if I didn't know how to wield nen. I lived because of you." Elodea wasn't just talking about the battle with Alligator. He was talking about the very beginning here in Kukan'yu. The rebel uprisings. _The fire._

"Let me look at you." Killua cupped Elodea's chin for a moment, lightly. "How did you grow up so fast? It was only yesterday when you were barely up to my knees and asked me to carry you on my back." His little boy was growing up so fast right in front of his eyes. Sprouting like a weed.

"That was a long time ago." Elodea mused. He really like those piggy back rides. "When did I stop asking?"

"When my back gave out."

"Dad."

"I'm kidding. I'm stronger than I've ever been and could lift a hundred of you." He missed those days. To Killua, it only felt like yesterday when little Elodea would come running up to him with his arms stretched out wide, covered from head to toe in mud or finger paint, begging for a hug. The mess after was always worth it.

"Did you have a choice when you were in the chimera ant war, dad?"

"I did." Killua looked off into the ocean and watch the sail boats float by. The air cooled. "But war shouldn't be left up to children." Danger was everywhere, no matter where he or Elodea went. During the chimera ant war, Killua battled one of the royal guards to let off some steam. He wasn't fighting for any righteous purpose other than to save Kite by Gon's request. He wasn't the hero his son made him out to be… "I should have been there with you. Remember, I swore I was going to turn that oversized Louis Vuitton bag into a pair of boots. You just beat me to it." Killua joked, then quieted. "I should have protected you. I know, I tend to joke about my past, about that godforsaken war." He shook his head. "Gon was there with me, we thought we knew what we were getting ourselves into—but we didn't. It didn't help that we were too headstrong, no, we were too stubborn. Too prideful. We knew what we wanted and maybe it's because, at the time, we were strong and young and after coming so far, we thought there was nothing to lose—we were wrong. There is always something to lose. All these little things we take for granted can be lost in a matter of seconds. No one is the same after a war, no matter how hard they pretend to be. No matter how hard Gon or I pretended we were." He stayed silent for a few moments. "After the war, I was confused with what to do with my life, albeit others were as well. Going back to one's normal routine seemed like the easiest thing to do, and yet it was the most difficult of all. Life –it's never the same. Gon knew what he wanted. Alluka knew she wanted. So did Kurapika and Leorio. I was the only one who didn't know what to make of my future. They tried to help me figure out what I wanted, like working on the Cayenne excavation sites for a while, but that wasn't for me. All I knew was that I didn't want to stop being a hunter. As to what type of hunter, I had no clue, just one with a purpose that suited me, I suppose. Maybe it was because that's all I had going, and I latched onto that idea."

"Somehow, I always imaged that you were made to be a hunter, but—" Elodea watched the waves roll unto the sand. Watched the foam recede into the ocean. His dad was not only a hero, but he was also a war veteran. He saved the world dozens of times, and of all people he was thanked the least for it. He was hurting the most and He looked up at Killua. His hair was tousled by the ocean wind. "I think you were born to protect people. I think you were born to be people's guardian angels when they have none. You're more of a guardian than you are of a contract hunter. There should be a type of hunter for that. A guardian hunter."

Killua smiled, softly. "I like the ring of that _. Guardian Hunter_." He let the words sink in. All the while Elodea was still building a pyramid of pebbles on Killua's stomach.

Elodea cleared the pebbles off Killua's shirt and began to add a new layer of pebbles. Killua grabbed a pebble off the sand and added it onto the pile upon his stomach. "Dad." Elodea wondered. "What about you? How were your days back at home? Are you feeling any better?" Elodea looked down at Killua's legs and felt a pang of guilt. A pebble slid off the mound and down Killua's abdomen. Elodea picked it up and placed it back unto the mound.

"Better actually. Almost back to my old self. My days were," Killua hummed. "Quiet. Peaceful. Restful. Oh, you wouldn't believe how many chores I've got done."

A sigh rolled off Elodea's shoulders. "haha dad. Are you telling me to stay away from home more often—"

"Lonely." Killua cut Elodea off. "Uneventful. It was too quiet. I missed the sound of you playing the piano early in the morning. There were too many lazy mornings that held no reasons for me to get up and move. Then I thought of you and found my reason again. At first I thought after sending you here you wouldn't want to leave."

"That's no vacation. That's a nightmare!" Elodea quickly whined, then mumbled. "Besides, vacuuming is _my_ chore."

Killua laughed, the rocks spilled off his chest and slid back unto the sand.

"I want to go back home with you." Elodea mumbled. "Don't think that I'll ever chose someplace or some beautiful _paradise_ over you. No matter how perfect or divine or how immaculate the food is, or how amazing the people are, or that every afternoon all the shops take an honorary siesta." Wow, that sounded real tempting to not leave this place.

Killua's heart swelled. "That's very sweet…but I'd probably chose the food. You just said it was immaculate." Killua countered and taunted his son. Seeing his reaction made him laugh even harder. Elodea rolled unto the sand, exasperated.

Elodea mumbled incoherently into the sand.

"Hm?" Killua hummed. He leaned over and lifted a piece of Elodea's hair way from his face, which was currently in the sand. "What did you say?"

A sad face peeled away from the sand bed, tears welling up in Elodea's eyes. He choked on the words. "I don't hate you, okay? I'm sorry I said those awful things to you. I was just confused and scared and angry and an—please don't hate me."

"Come here." Killua leaned unto his elbows and sat up. Embracing his son. He whispered softly. I don't hate you. I could never hate you. A father could never hate his child. From the first moment I've held you in my arms, I loved you. I've _always_ loved you. And it's the other way around, kiddo. I'm the one who should be asking you for forgiveness. You're growing up, you're learning and that's nothing you need you need to apologize over."

Elodea sniffled.

"Can I be honest with you?"

Elodea nodded.

"You're adopted."

"Yeah, got it. I think we already have that covered pretty well."

Killua playfully tapped his forehead against Elodea's. His hands cupping Elo's cheeks. "You're adopted, and we don't talk enough about it. You want to know why? Because you are my son in _every_ possible way. You have always been and always will be my son. Elodea—you were born of my heart, and to me that is no different of being born of another's blood. Maybe I didn't want you to feel like you stand out, to be different. But I need you to know something." Killua breathed. "I want you to be different, to love who you are, where you come from, and the life you live. With your family—with everyone—with me. I want you to stand out, in all the best ways. I love you as much as a human heart can Elo. You are an exceptional young man, so don't let your dad's poor choices—poor and idiotic choices make you feel afraid to be different," Killua fumbled over his words. "I thought hiding the truth was better than telling it straight at you. That it would hurt you—but I was wrong. You deserve the truth, from now on and always. Above all else—I love you, who you are now, and the man you will soon become. Okay?"

For once in a very long time. Killua was able to breathe without the weight of his lies piling up on his shoulders. Finally, they fell and cracked and no longer trapped him. Hot tears fell down his eyes. He was free.

Elodea wrapped his arms around his father. The boy's eyes were squeezed shut, but they leaked and leaked, spilling down his cheeks. "Thank you," He cried.

"If it would make you happy, maybe it would bring you closure. We can search for your biological parents together."

Elodea shook his head, drying his tears. "I don't know who my biological mother and father are, but for a time, I admit I wanted to know them. To meet them. To ask them about our heritage. But," Elodea breathed. "I only have one dad. He's smug and cocky and always leaves the dishes in the sink overnight—"

"To soak. I leave them to soak."

"Sure," Elodea laughed. "He eats way too much sugar and his fashion sense is outdated by at least a decade, maybe even a while era—"

"No no no. You kids call it 'vintage' nowadays. And why are these all insults?"

"My dad and I watch movies late at night over a bowl of popcorn and he puts up with me when I constantly shout at the characters on screen. My dad listens to me playing the piano and goes out of his way to fix my keyboard whenever it starts bugging out. He laughs with me, listens to me. My dad is my friend. I don't know my mother or my father, but I am thankful to them for one thing—you. Because of them I have a family that loves me, even for all the quirky bits. And I love them, even for all the quirky bits too. For a time, I wanted to know my mother, but I only ever envisioned you as my father. My real dad is the one who told me a long time ago that we have the same hearts." Elodea put a hand over his chest and then he pointed to Killua's. "My heart looks like your heart and no one in the whole world can tell me otherwise. Our family is perfect the way it is. Just you and me. That's how it was meant to be. I love you, dad."

Killua ran a hand over his eyes. His breath hitched. After all this time, he was afraid of his son stopped loving him. But it was quite the opposite, and he was happy for it.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry!" Elodea fumbled with his words and waved his hands frantically. Then Elodea stood up and smiled, bouncing on the backs of his heels on the sand. "Hey dad. Can you carry me on your back like you used to when I was small?"

A laugh escaped Killua's lips rather a cry. He bent and hunched down on his side, "get on board." Elodea swung his arms around Killua's shoulders when he lifted him up. An aching groan escaped through Killua's mouth. "Ah, you're getting heavy." The things parents do for their children.

"Sorry! Do you want to me get off?"

"No worries. I got you."

Elodea rested his head against Killua's. His white hair tickled his nose. He felt like remembering a far-off memory, or at least Elodea thought so, he was being carried by his father just like this. There was the sand between his toes, the ocean's calm waves, the smell of salt and sea life wafting through the breeze, and dandelions. Dozens and dozens of dandelions. This moment made him nostalgic and made him feel like picking dandelions that nestled snugly among the water weeds. Elodea felt like he lived this moment before from a very long time ago. Even though his mind did not fully remember, his heart did.

Only one set of footprints followed them on the sand bed. Waves washing over and clearing bits and pieces of the trial. Killua softly said to the salty air and to ocean waves and to his son, "I love you and will never leave you."

Elodea thought that he heard those words before. And he cherished those words as the sun shined bright above them. He heard the seagulls _caw_ in the distance. He heard the song of his father's heart and knew this is where he was meant to be. Where he was always meant to be. "I know."

* * *

They left the Islands the next day.

Everyone was at the harbor to see them off. Old friends and new friends. The gang of four mischievous souls surrounded Elodea and told him to text them and never, ever forget them. Ever. And to come back soon. Pranking wouldn't be the same without him.

Killua and Elodea left on the ferry, waving goodbye until they couldn't see their friends on the horizon. The cerulean waves tussled the boat. Somewhere in a big and abandoned mansion, stood a young woman gazing out of a balcony that was once hers, with the wind flowing through her hair, and her rambunctious nen beasts scurrying around her. Two stuffed teddy bears laid beside her as she gazed upon the sunset. The past was over, and she learned to let go. Somewhere else, a young boy who leaned from his new city friend that holding grudges against your dad is not the best thing in the world, especially over trivial matters like spilling a carton of milk or staying up too late not doing your homework. The boy stood in front of his father and hugged him for no reason. The father hugged him back, lovingly. All was well. Somewhere entirely else, a young girl witnessed her twin brother confess his feelings to his annoyingly ever-so-silent crush. The feelings were reciprocated. It was about time, she thought proudly.

Killed hummed as the waves rocked against the ferry "I've been thinking about my next job."

"Yeah, what is it?" Elodea watched shimmering fish jump out of the water. He stood against the railing, and breathed in the salty air, smiling. "Ah, I've missed going on adventures!"

Killua ruffled Elodea's hair, "I'll tell you about it when we get home. But you'll like this one. I know it."

Elodea leaned towards Killua, worry stricken. He whispered gravely and hushed his voice. "The last time you said that it involved fighting a chimera ant." His eyes widened. "Don't tell me there is another one."

Killua burst out laughing, "I'm finally the one to surprise you. You'll just have to wait in suspense then."

"No fair. At least give me a hint." Elodea mumbled. Everything was returning to normal again. Oh, how he cherished it.

They took the ferry out of the Islands and landed in Kukan'yu Kingdom in the town of Corfu. Killua bought two tickets for the cenberry train, but there was still some time before the train would leave the terminal, and for them to finally return home.

There was a small market next to the train station. Kostas told Elodea one of the kingdom's most amazing delicacies (second to the Islands that is) was in this town. He gave to Elodea a jar of clover honey and told him if he was ever in Corfu, he has to try the lavender honey.

So, they were here, and the train wasn't scheduled to move just yet.

Elodea and Killua searched for lavender honey in the small town of Corfu. This town, small as it was, had a lot more to offer than just honey.

* * *

Adeline had the pleasure of accompanying her dear auntie Nia to the market place this afternoon near the cenberry train station.

Adeline was not dressed as a sparkling fairy or a world ambassador or a stack of waffles soaked in maple syrup today. Nope! Today, she was dressed as an ordinary five-year-old obediently accompanying her nanny whilst shopping. Shocking. I know.

Apollonia was too preoccupied talking to a clerk (about potatoes and scallions) when Adeline tugged on her skirt. "Auntie Nia." She said, hastily.

"One-minute dear." Apollonia said. "I'm bargaining with this _very_ nice gentleman." That was sarcasm.

"Flattery doesn't lower prices, ma'am." The clerk retorted. "Nor does the economy's current state of inflation." That wasn't sarcasm. That was brutal honestly.

"But Auntie Nia," Adeline continued to tug on her skirt. Dragging her feet. "It's really, reaaaaly important."

When her dear auntie was giving her the silent treatment, talking about potatoes no less (the dullest of vegetables) Adeline let go of her nanny's hand and raced into the crowd.

A flash of fear enveloped Nia as she raced after Adeline just in time before she lost her in the crowd. "Adeline! Do not let go of my hand in the marketplace. The crowd is too big, and you can get easily lost. Your mama and papa and baby Stephan and I will be worried sick if we lose you."

Tears trickled down the little girl's eyes as she scrunched up her nose. "I'm sorry Auntie! I don't want you, mama, papa, and Stephan to worry, but I saw _him_ in the crowd!"

"Him?" Apollonia questioned. "Who is 'him' dear?" Goodness, she hoped it wasn't Adeline's stupid father trialing off with another stupid, young maid. That man needs to lean self-restraint, and faithfulness to his wife.

"My future husband!" Adeline squeaked, obviously. "The boy with the amethyst eyes awakened from his sleeping curse! He's here! _Thavma_ is in the market! And I'm going to say hi and propose to him. Wish me luck." If Adeline knew she was going to propose marriage to her one true love, she would have worn something proper for this special occasion! Such as her stack of waffles costume, or her rainbow llama pattered poncho with her glitter boots. Something memorable.

"Oh no no no." Apollonia grabbed the little girl's hand before she fled off again. She wanted to laugh. She's obviously been telling Adeline one too many stories. "We're ladies and ladies do not say hello to total strangers or weirdos we stumble upon in the market. It's a different matter if it is someone you personally know, but nevertheless we must be on our way."

"But I know that's him. He's over there!" Adeline pointed to the food stall with the striped orange canopy. The one stall that only sold one variety of honey. Lavender honey.

Apollonia would regret this moment for the rest of her life if she didn't look. Maybe she just wanted to play along with little Addie's folly and decline that it was her little boy.

She looked anyway.

Just then, she saw the most beautiful creature her eyes have ever gazed upon.

 _Thavma._

At first, she clenched her heart. He was the spitting image of her Helios. No, she thought to herself. There are many boys with black hair, and amethyst eyes were common amongst the islanders and even here in the kingdom. She opened her ears and listened to the song of his heart.

Tears spilled from her eyes.

That was him.

That was her little prince. Her baby boy. Her miracle. Her Thavma.

He's beautiful.

He's alive.

But how? How was he still alive after the fire? When she clearly heard the song of his heart wither in agony and silence all those years ago?

No, she didn't care how he survived.

Only that he lived.

That he is _here_. So close to _her._

She would never mistake that sound for anyone else's heart but her son's. Her hand covered her lips. That was her beautiful baby boy. He is here. Her legs began to move on their own, walking towards the honey stall. Thoughts began flooding her mind, reuniting with her child, asking him how he survived that dreadful night. Does he remember his own mother? Does he remember when she rocked him to asleep in her arms? When his father, Helios, sung him lullabies with his guitar? Does the taste of honey ring a bell of nostalgia for him? Does he ever think of a forgotten memory from long ago when he sees a honey bee fly over his head? Does he long for the taste of the sea or feel of the ocean breeze like she does? Can he listen to the songs of people's hearts like she does? Did her little miracle inherit her gift or Helios's affinity for music? Or both?

Did he long for his mother, just as much as she longed for her only child?

She wanted to break into a run, to embrace him, and cherish him and never let him go again.

Until, she saw the man he was with.

Apollonia stopped in her tracks and Adeline bumped into the back of her legs. "Why are we stopping?" Adeline asked. She wants to meet her husband before he walks away.

Pain seared in Apollonia's heart and tore it in two. _Her_ Thavma looked up to the man with the white hair and spoke to him, smiling and laughing and talking. He held a jar of honey in his hands and handed it to the man. Her boy smiled so brightly, just like how she imagined he would. Ah, he had a dimple in his right cheek. Now she remembered.

She remembered.

Her eyes locked unto the man who stood next to her child. She recognized him from the horrible night thirteen years ago. He was one out of many hunters who aided in rescuing the refugees. The man basked in ethereal moonlight and starlight. He saved her that night. She remembered him too.

He was the man who jumped out of his own boat and into the lion's den, into the burning village, and he saved her little boy.

And now he has her son.

Little Thavma's smile wasn't for her or any one else in the market. It was solely meant for the man with the snow-white hair. Little Thavma smiled brightly at the hunter. Not at her.

Apollonia clasped her hand over her stomach and looked down at Adeline. Her voice was weary and weak. She couldn't speak.

"Auntie?"

"Y-You're mistaken dear. T-that's not him. It is someone else." She forced the words out of her mouth like sludge. Her jaw barely allowed her to say that.

She looked at him again. He looked so happy. Her boy was happy. He was living his life after all these years, thinking he never survived. But he was here in the market, right in front of her very eyes. And he was happy.

She wanted to go to him. To tell him how much she loves him. So, so much. More than all the angels in the heavens combined. She wanted to tell him that she is his mother and she can't live a day longer without him.

But she soon realized, she soon painfully realized that she is no longer his mother. That he is no longer her little Thavma and that he is someone else entirely. That if she goes up to him, he will not have the same memories as she does. He will not remember who she is, who he really is.

Or the person he used to be.

Maybe it was because she kept staring at the honey stall or maybe it was also because a bee was flying above his head at just the right angle. He turned his head towards her direction.

For a moment, their eyes met.

And he smiled at her.

And only her.

Then he looked away, back towards the hunter.

That was more than she could have ever asked for.

Apollonia heard her boy's laugh fill the air, his voice trailing through the breeze, then she saw him look at the hunter with the white hair and call him _dad._

She heard her heart shatter.

That hunter took the role of his father. That should have been Helios standing next to their boy, but she straightened her back and breathed. She wanted to take her little one away from the man. She wanted her little boy back.

No.

She shooed away all her tears. And did the hardest thing a mother could ever do.

She walked away.

She will not deny him of his one chance of happiness. Happiness that lies in another's heart. Even if his happiness means never knowing her, his own mother. She will not take her son away from him. Apollonia looked at the hunter with the kind eyes. _Thank you. For protecting my son. For being his guardian angel when I couldn't._ And yet, she never even knew his name, but she knew from the bottom of her heart that this hunter is an angel. An angel watching over her son and protecting him from all harm. Her little one's happiness rested in his. And for that, she was eternally grateful. The bond between them was strong. She couldn't find it in her heart to separate them.

She walked away with her heart cleaved in two, but content in knowing that her son is alive and happy and so are the rest of his days. Alive and happy.

"Auntie Nia," Adeline said. "Why are you crying? It's because he finally woke up from his sleeping curse! Right?"

"Yes," Apollonia said, as she wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. "He finally woke up." And he will be happy and loved till the end of his days.

Adeline cheered. For there was much to celebrate.

* * *

*They bought two tickets for the cenberry train leading out of Kukan'yu Kingdom. Elodea and Killua sat on red cushions, that were once plush and new, but now flat and lumpy. The start of the engine's roar sent a _thrum_ throughout the cabins and open seats. Jostling the train. Metal gears rumbling against the rails.

Elodea sat on the opposite side of Killua. They were having a contest to see how many chocorobots they could toss into the other's mouth. Killua was the undefeated champion, while malted milk balls bounced off Elodea's chin and unto the cushion, then under it. They were making a complete mess. Finally, a train inspector had to tell the rowdy pair to quiet down as he inspected their tickets. Eyeing the malted milk balls sprawled across the cushions and the repressed laughter from the two passengers. _Father and son fall from the same tree_ , the inspector sighed as he went on his way. No doubt he was going to have to clear that up later.

It was thirteen years ago that Killua remembered this exact ride on the train. It was a grueling experience on the islands, even jumping around from job to job because he just didn't know what to do with his life was exhausting. But it was here, on this very train where he first held Elodea in his arms and plucked a water weed out of his hair, it was clear, he knew exactly what he wanted out of life.

He never regretted bringing Elodea home, stumbling into his new fatherly role completely unprepared. In every scenario he thought, he knew it would always lead him to Elodea.

He was thankful for all the pathways in life that lead him here to Kukan'yu—to Elodea.

The engine rumbled through the afternoon and into the night. Elodea leaned against his father's shoulder. Walking up from his nap. The sky was dark, and he saw the stars and the moon spilled through the cabin's windows. The silver moonshine spilled unto his father, resting peacefully in the rhythm with the _thrum_ of the train. Elodea looked up to Killua; and smiled.

Elodea longed for home. And home was wherever him and Killua beckoned them to be. For they carried home along in their hearts and pockets, as long as they are together, traveling across the seas and shores of the continents, driving through cities and countries, home is something they will always have in the present. For the present is now and it will live on forever in their hearts.

A weight from Elodea's heart lifted. The nen beast that latched onto his spirit, dissipated and faded almost into nothing. For there was no more sorrow or fear to feed off the boy's heart. It locked itself away in small corner of his heart. It had no more power over him. Love has that power. The power to cast out the shadows of our hearts and make us feel born anew.

Elodea rested his head on Killua's shoulder and closed his eyes. Listening to the _thrum_ of the engine and the song of his father's heart and the sweet whispers of the moonlight night of Kukan'yu Kingdom. A kingdom filled with healing wounds, new beginnings, and water weeds that stretch on for miles over the glistening sea. The cenberry train left Kukan'yu Kingdom carrying two important passengers that night.

Elodea, and his father, Killua.

* * *

 **A/N:** Roll the end credits!

I hope you liked Killua and Elodea's reunion, what did you think? (I know that it sucks and is poorly written and my ability to write has gone down the drain...but if you liked something then that's cool...*shrugs*)

SO! if you noticed the last scene is similar to the last scene in chapter 7 and that of chapter 1, PARALLELISM XD so let me explain some things! This was the last chapter of part 3 and the next chapter (ch 40) will kick off the start of part 4! (gee i never thought I'd come this far...this is all thanks to Yui who keeps lifting me up and motivating to keep writing about her hubby and son ;A; i love you honey *hugs* )

Here are some questions and things to ponder! Who are the hooligans who wrote 'your debt will be paid' on the Zoldyck testing gate? (yui, i think you know this one), what is the creepy crow shadow thingy that is following Illumi? (yui, you REALLY know this one XD ) what's your favorite anime? Will Apollonia ever meet Elodea again? Guardian hunter? WHAT"S THAT? :D

I hope you liked this chapter, review and let me know what you think pretty please cuz that would be awesome-sauce :3

See you guys next time! BYE!


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